:' 


F  AC  A; 


BY 


MAJOR    MARCH. 


AUTHOR      OF      WALTER     MARCH,      OR,      SHOEPAC      RECOLLECTIONS. 


Between  two  worlds  life  hovers  like  a  star, 
•'  Twixt  night  and  morn,  upon  the  horizon's  verge. 
How  little  do  we  know  that  which  we  are ! 
flow  less  what  we  may  be  !    The  eternal  surge 
Of  time  and  tide  rolls  on. 

LORD  BYRON. 


JAMES    FRENCH    &    COMPANY, 
DETROIT : 

RAYMOND   &    SELLECK. 

1857. 


Entered  accoraing  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

ORLANDO  B.  WILCOX,  U.  S.  A., 
In  ihe  Clerk's  O.Tire  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


C.  HOBBS,  S.ereotyper. 


INSCRIBED      WITH      A  FF  JF  EC  TION, 
TO 


2052138 


COiN'TEiN'TS. 


I.  THE  ALDEBARAN,     ....... 

H.  A  MUTINEER, 

HI.  THE   DOUBLE  CHASE,  ...•••  24 

IV.  FACA  AND  THE  LIEUTENANT, ^) 

V.  NOON   AND   NIGHT,  .  '  •      *  •  •  .37 

VI.  THE   BRIGHT  BUTTONS,  .  .  •  .  .    41 

Vn.  FACA  OF    "OURS,"  .  .  •  •  .47 

VIH.  THE   SHIP  MAKES  A  VARIETY  OF   NOISES,  .  .  .53 

IX.  HEART  BEATS  UNDER  BLUE  JACKETS  AND  BRIGHT  BUTTONS,       57 

X.  LOVE  PASSAGES,  .  '  i  •  *    '        '     *    / 

XI.  FISH   STORIES— WHEREIN  CLINCHER  CUTS  A  FIGURE,         .         66 

XII.  A   NEW   ALLY,  .  .  •  •  • 

XIII.  BURNT  POKER  PORTRAITS,  .  •  •  .74 

XIV.  HEAVEN   AND   HELL,  .  .  •  •  •       ' 
XV.  MASTER  BARDOLF,  ^8 

XVI.    OLD  SOL  RELAXES  INTO  A   SJHLE  FEMININE,  .  .  92 

XVII.    THE  FATHER  OF  LIEUTENANTS,  .  .  .  .    95 

XVIII.    LOOK  OUT  FOR   SQUALLS,  . 


XIX.    SUNDAY  AND  THE   SEA  —  TWO   SUBLIMITIES, 


103 


XX.  THE  GULF  STREAM,     .      .      •       •       .105 

TOQ 
XXI.  FORECASTLE  INTERESTS.     .  '   A 


vi  CONTENTS. 

XXn.   THE  DRUM-MAJOR  AGAIN,           .--  —       '•  ..-••.»               .        113 

XXIII.  FOET   MIFFLIN,           .                .                .     '  •                •           •    H7 

XXIV.  HOW  LITTLE  FACA  CAME  INTO  THE  WORLD,  .                .           122 


XXV.    THE  CREVASSE, 
XXVI.    FRANCISOA, 


130 
136 


XXVII.    THE  PET  OF  THE  GARRISON,      .  Vi  .      .    :    «  •  142 

xxvni.  THE  DRUM-MAJOR'S  DOWNY  PILLOW,        ••.....,*_      «      149 

XXIX.    TRACKS  AND  TRACTS,  .....      154: 

XXX.    FIRST  LOVE  IN  AN  OLD  HEART,  .  .  :'--•..     160 

XXXI.    THE  ANGEL  IN  THE  SHIP.  .  .'  »       ,         .        '•    •  163 

XXXH.    THE  FIRST ,         .  :•    .'.  .  .  166 

XXXIII.  O  MEET  ME  ON  THE  SILVER  SHOES,  .  .  .167 

XXXIV.  GOING  DOWN  INTO  THE  DEEP,  ....     170 

XXXV.  CATCHING  A  TARTAR,  .....      177 

XXXVI.  THE  CONSPIRATOR,  .  .  .  .  .180 
XXXVII.    SEA  SPARKLES,           .                .                .                .                .  .183 

XXXVIH.   SCURVY  TRICKS,  .....  189 

XXXIX.    THE  BANDMASTER   SLEEPS  AND  WAKES,  .  .  .      193 

XL.    HOLE  IN  THE  WALL,  .....        196 

XLI.   THE  ISAACS,  .  .  .  .  .      200 

XLII.    A  SQUALL  ON  THE  FLORIDA  REEFS,  .  ,-  .          206 

XL! II.    THE  MEXICAN  SEA,  .....        209 

XLTV.    THE  SERGEANTS  DAUGHTER,  .  .  .  .212 

XLV.    NEXT  CHAPTER,  .  .  .  .  .      -         216 

XLVI.    THE  CONSPIRACY,  .  .  .  .  219 

XLVU.    FOURTH  OF  JULY  MORN,  .....    229 

XLVm.    FOURTH  OF  JULY  OVER  THE  FORE-TOP,          .  V  .    234 

XL1X.    WOMAN,  ......  243 

L.   FACA'S  ADMIRERS,  .  .  .  .  .246 

LI.   THE  BUSY  NOTE  OF  PREPABATIOH,     . :       ,  .    •      ,    .    •  .         266 

LH.   THE  SHELL  BURSTS,  .  *>•-*.  .  .       266 

LEO.    THE  SMOKE  CLEARS  AWAT,  .  .  .  .      273 

LIV.   THE  DRUM  HEAD  COURT-MAETIAL,          .  .,  .  276 


CONTENTS.  vii 

LV.   THE  LADY  AND  THE  GIANT,           ....  283 

LVI.    THE  TRIAL  PROCEEDS,            .                  .                 »                  .  291 

LVII.    THE  KINGDOM  DOWN  BELOW,            ....  295 

LVHI.   THE  WORLD  CONTINUES  TO  KEVOLTB,         .                 .                .  297 

LIX.    THE  ANGEL  WAITS,            .                  .                 .                 .  .              .  300 

LX.    THE  ANGEL  FLIES  AWAT,            ....  305 

LXI.    THE  COAST,             .                                                       ...  309 

LXII.    THE  LAGOON,            .      **      •*     '             •                 •                 •                 •  315 

LXIII.    THE  CAMP,          ^    .'         .                .                .                .                .  319 

LXIV.    MAKS  AND  VENUS,                           .                .                .  329 

LXV.   THE  LOST  ABB  FOUND,            .....  332 

NIS  —  AND  THE  FLOODS  CLAPPED  THEIB.  HANDS,           .           .            .  335 


\ 


F  A  C  A; 

AN     A  EM  Y    MEMOIK. 


CHAPTEE    I.      . 

THE    ALDEBARAN. 

See  now  comes  the  captain  all  daub'd  with  gold  lace  ; 
0  la  !  the  sweet  gentleman  !  look  in  his  face. 

SWIFT. 

"  IT  was  with  little  dissatisfaction,"  quoth  my  friend, 
Brevet  Major  June,  of  the  Light  Artillery,  "that  I 
opened  the  yellow  document  containing  orders  for  me  to 
report  at  Governor's  Island. 

"  Our  own  garrison  was  dull.  I  poked  about  daily 
with  my  cane,  watching  vessels  from  the  ramparts. 
Two  soldiers  had  just  deserted  with  their  families,  in- 
cluding, of  course,  a  flock  of  noisy  children,  whom  I 
delighted  to  tease,  and  who  loved  to  cry  out  — 

"'THE  MAJOR!' 

and  scamper  away  and  hide  themselves  behind  the 
guns.  In  fact  there  was  nobody  now  to  keep  me  com- 
pany, since  I  had  quarreled  with  the  surgeon  about  the 
superiority  of  our  respective  timepieces.  For  having 


12  FACA. 

nothing  else  to  talk  about,  at  twelve  o'clock  precisely, 
over  the  doctor  would  hobble  to  my  quarters,  watch  in 
hand." 

"  '  There ! '  says  he,  *  I'm  right  to  a  minute ! ' 

"  No,"  says  1,  "you'rhalf  a  minute  too  slow:  here  is 
the  instrument  which  regulates  the  sun ;  my  watch  says  — 

««Ha!  ha!  he!  he!; 

"  The  old  chap  would  chuckle,  '  you  are  a  whole  min- 
ute too  fast!' 

"But,"  says  I,  "a  minute  has  elapsed." 

"  Not  a  quarter  would  he  allow,  and  so  we  strove  and 
parted  in  anger  daily.  In  fact,  I  never  expect,  what 
with  breakages  and  stoppages,  and  being  cheated  by 
silversmiths,  and  quarreling  about  the  time,  I  never  ex- 
pect to  enjoy  true  peace  and  happiness  till  I  give  up 
wearing  a  watch  altogether. 

"  But,  as  I  was  saying,  there  was  nobody  now  to  keep 
me  company ;  nothing  save  a  solitary  yellow  chicken, 
one  of  the  families  had  left  behind.  The  little  impu- 
dent creature  seemed  to  do  nothing  else  but  stand  on 
one  leg  and  wink  in  the  sun,  and  eye  me  askance. 
Doubtless  she  missed  the  children  as  much  as  I,  though 
the  ragamuffins  were  the  torment  of  her  life.  And 
there  we  used  to  stand,  I  on  my  cane,  and  she  on  her 
one  leg,  till,  Christopher !  it  was  enough  to  drive  a  man 
mad!" 

"  Sir,"  said  Major  June,  with  ceremonious  etiquette, 


THE      ALDEBARAN.  13 

to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Eecruiting  Service  at  Gov- 
ernor's Island,  "  I  have  the  honor  to  report  for  orders." 

"You  will  sail  to-morrow,  Major,  with  troops  for 
Texas." 

"What  is  my  command,  Colonel?" 

"Five  officers,  four  hundred  men,  and,"  added  he 
smiling,  '  any  number  of  women  and  children." 

"  Children  !  Christopher  !  that  'a  good  ! " 

It  was  early  in  June,  in  a  shower  —  it  always  rains 
when  troops  embark — that  the  Major's  command  was 
tugged  away  from  Governor's  Island  to  the  ship  Alde- 
baran,  lying  out  in  the  stream.  The  men  scrambled 
awkwardly  on  board,  but  carefully  helped  the  women 
up  over  the  high  bulwarks. 

Night  set  in  soon  after ;  the  decks  were  wet,  the 
cooking-range  disused  and  rusted,  the  coal  lay  some- 
where in  the  unfathomable  depths,  and  clamorous  stom- 
achs went  empty. 

There  are  few  things  so  provocative  of  disturbances 
as  empty  stomachs.  Here  was  swearing  and  confusion 
sweet  brogue  and  jangling  German,  pushing  and  fight- 
ing, miraculous  escapes  from  breaking  of  necks  on  the 
slippery  decks,  sly  jokes  and  loud  laughter.  But  at 
length  supper  came  :  it  was  a  ration  of  bread  to  each 
man,  and  the  tumult  was  at  ouce  calmed.  Then  the 
soldiers,  forgetting  all  their  griefs  and  enmities,  began 

to  settle  down  glumly  with  their  pipes,  and  soon  thawed 
2 


14  FACA. 

into  a  rippling  flow  of  words  over  the  prospect  of  get- 
ting to  sea  on  the  morrow. 

The  officers'  cabin,  too,  was  out  of  joint  that  night. 
The  captain  was  ashore,  the  steward  was  half-seas-over 
already,  and  did  not  condescend  to  serve  up  supper  un- 
til eleven  o'clock.  Then  it  was  that  His  Celestial  High- 
ness, Shanghai,  came  on  in  state,  swimming  in  fat, 
never  his  own.  The  reeling  steward  went  for  coffee, 
but  while  bearing  His  Highness  to  the  cabin,  some 
roguish  soldiers  had  invaded  the  galley,  and  bore  away 
the  coffee  as  spoils  of  war.  A  brisk  game  of  euchre  fol- 
lowed the  meal,  between  the  pilot  and  Major  June,  but 
the  younger  officers  were  glad  to  retire,  and  soon  lay  fast 
asleep  in  their  berths. 

With  the  morning  sunshine,  which  broke  over  the 
steeples  in  the  city  and  the  topmasts  in  the  harbor,  fall- 
ing upon  the  sea,  so  clear  and  silvery,  in  a  flood  of  spark- 
ling glory,  appeared  Major  June,  himself,  rosy  and  fresh 
as  the  month  whose  name  he  bore. 

He  saw  with  satisfaction,  that  good  humor  prevailed 
among  the  men.  The  smoke  of  the  cooking  apartments 
was  climbing  the  ropes  and  coiling  itself  around  the 
rigging. 

"  Well ! "  said  he,  « there  is  a  prospect  of  breakfast," 
as  he  saw  the  good  humor  which  showed  itself  on  the 
faces  of  the  men. 

Simple  major !  The  hope  of  speedy  breakfast  was 
• 


THE      ALDEBARAN.  15 

not  the  soldiers'  only  solace.  For  numerous  small  boats 
were  lying  alongside  and  hovering  near  the  ship,  from 
which  suspicious-looking  packages  came  gliding  up  the 
bulwarks  and  disappearing  among  the  men,  —  and  there 
was  a  general  fumbling  about  the  regions  of  the  pocket. 
It  might  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  John  Barleycorn  was 
at  hand.  Finally,  the  officer  of  the  day  detected  John, 
and  sent  his  boats  away  —  swearing. 

Then  other  small  boats,  with  men,  and  kits  and 
trunks,  came  out,  and  sailors  jumped  aboard,  one  and 
another,  till  the  ship's  company  was  complete,  even  to 
the  Skipper,  who  appeared  last,  as  skippers  now  and 
then  do,  summoned  speedily  and  unexpectedly,  as  they 
often  are,  from  the  midst  of  their  little  families  in  the 
country,  many  times  after  a  long  voyage  and  little  rest, 
and  sometimes  never  to  come  back. 

Though  it  is  with  the  fortunes  of  army  people,  that 
we  shall  deal  mostly  in  this  "  strange  eventful  history," 
yet  we  hope  the  reader  will  pardon  us,  if,  in  the  course 
of  the  work,  we  strive  to  interest  him  somewhat  in  the 
politics  of  the  sea,  Pardon  us,  likewise,  gentle  reader 
—  we  know  at  least  the  fair  sex  will — if  we  touch  upon 
its  poetry. 

To  many  dear  souls,  the  sea  seems  no  other  than  a 
huge  tank  of  rain-water,  alive  with  such  uncouth  wrig- 
glers as  the  microscope  discloses.  But  perhaps  there  is 
no  portion  of  God's  fair  domain  more  fruitful  in  all 


16  FACA. 

that  is  touching  to  the  heart,  tickling  to  the  ear,  or  de- 
lightful to  the  imagination. 

In  the  first  place,  sir,  sea  life  is  full  of  character  — 
erratic,  wild,  sportive,  superstitious,  and  child-like  as  its 
own  playful  dolphins.  Then  consider  the  multitude  of 
events  that  drive  mankind  to  seek  upon  its  fickle  bosom 
their  livelihood  and  sweet  solace.  Poor  children  of  un- 
thrifty fortune  they,  full  of  home,  mother  and  sister, 
and  a  single  relic  of  all,  a  bible,  in  their  slender  kit. 
Children,  many  of  them,  of  proud  people  too.  There  is 
no  end  to  the  variety  of  sources  from  which  sailors  des- 
cend, rain-like,  to  be  sure,  from  every  quarter  of  the 
heavens.  Sailors,  dear  sir,  are  the  gipsies  of  the  sea, 
the  janizaries  of  old  Neptune,  the  zouaves,  made  up  of 
all  the  tribes  and  nations  of  the  earth,  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple, little  cared  for,  coming  into  port  with  a  song,  going 
down  to  their  watery  graves  "  unknell'd,  uncoffin'd  and 
unsung." 

However,  to  the  American,  the  name  of  sailor  often 
presents  quite  a  different  picture.  He  stands  the  bluff 
embodiment  of  generous  daring  and  hardy  manliness. 
Such  is  the  native  American  sailor,  soon  lost  to  the  fore- 
castle by  rising  to  the  quarter-deck.  True  to  the  life, 
we  hope  to  present  a  specimen  of  each  class.  They  shall 
be  such  men  as  God  and  the  sea  have  made  them,  and 
not  ideal  images. 

As  for  those  children  of  the  ranks,  and  their  daunt- 


THE      ALDEBAKAN.  17 

less  simple-minded  officers,  to  whom  wo  shall  introduce 
the  friendly  reader,  God  bless  them !  they  must  speak  for 
themselves.  They  belong  to  the  country  ;  our  greatest, 
loftiest-minded  country-women  shall  have  no  cause  to 
blush  for  one  at  least,  their  spirited  sister,  Faca. 

We  hope  you  will  pardon  Major  March  this  lengthy 
digression,  %nd  so,  allons! 


CHAPTEB    II. 

A    MUTINEER. 

Beings  deathless  as  their  haughty  lord, 
Are  hammered  to  the  galling  oar  for  life, 
And  plow  the  winter's  wave  and  reap  despair. 

YOUNG. 

OUR  skipper  was  one  of  those  gentlemanly,  active, 
young,  clipper-built  fellows,  who  have  supplanted  the 
old-fashioned  gruff  sea-dogs.  Moreover  our  skipper  had 
none  of  your  antiquated  sea  names,  short  and  thick, 
hut  something  modern  and  sounding,  —  it  was  Hands- 
allaround.  The  sailors,  when  they  did  not  call  him  the 
"  old  man,"  cut  it  down  to  •'  Harnsoine,"  the  carpenter 
called  him  "  Handsaw,"  the  cook  clipt  it  shortest,  and 
spoke  of  him  as  "  Old  Hans,"  or  in  moments  of  spite  as 
"All  Hands."  Thus  the  vanity  of  the  skipper's  chris- 
tening progenitor  was  foiled  by  fate,  and  that  beautiful 
name  was  never  heard  in  full. 

The  bells  of  the  city  rang  out,  and  threw  a  sabbath 
on  the  air.  But  a  sabbath-breaking  steam-tug  came 
see-sawing  out,  black  with  mischief,  nipped  on,  and  after 
the  little  dwarf  the  noble  Aldebaran  followed,  like  a 
queen  led  captive. 


A      MUTINEER.  19 

Reaching  the  lower  harbor,  the  tug  let  go  and  darted 
off  in  pursuit  of  other  prey ;  and  just  inside  Sandy 
Hook  the  ship  dropped  anchor,  and  lay  waiting  for  a 
breeze. 

Then  decks  were  ordered  to  be  scrubbed.  . 

As  it  was  Sunday,  perhaps,  or  because  the  sailors  had 
come  aboard  in  an  uncomplying  humor,  or  from  John 
Barleycorn,  or  other  cause,  the  order  was  obeyed  slowly 
and  sullenly.  Whereat  Mr.  Clincher,  the  first  mate, 
was  exceeding  wroth,  and  went  about  making  unfriendly 
demonstrations,  twisting  and  crooking  a  mouth  naturally 
twisted  and  crooked  already.  At  last  one  man  threw 
down  the  "swab,"  and  doggedly  refused  to  work. 

"  Bring  that  man  aft ! "  sternly  commanded  the  cap- 
tain. 

"  Ay  yi,  sir ! "  said  the  first  mate,  giving  an  awful 
crook  to  his  mouth.  He  brought  the  delinquent  upon 
the  quarter-deck. 

The  mate  with  a  mouth,  was  a  rolling,  bandy-legged, 
middling-sized  man,  with  a  queerly  compounded  ex- 
pression of  humor  and  offended  authority  upon  his  face. 
The  revolter  was  a  thin  man,  with  haughty  and  once 
handsome  features,  now  swollen  with  dissipation,  and 
evidently  the  seat  of  hotly  contending  passions  For 
the  face  is  the  play-ground  of  the  passions,  till  like  a 
school-yard,  in  time  the  flowers  and  grass  are 'gone,  and 
the  ground  hard-beaten  and  tracked. 


20  FACA. 

As  lie  appeared  upon  the  quarter-deck,  a  very  old 
woman,  who  looked  like  a  Spanish  duenna,  was  stand- 
ing among  the  camp-women  near  the  taffrail,  gave  a 
quick  start,  and  gazed  upon  the  man  from  beneath  her 
dark  shaggy  eyebrows,  with  evident  concern. 

"  My  man,"  asked  the  captain,  "  what  do  you  mean 
by  refusing  to  work?" 

"  First,  let  me  ask  what  means  that  man,"  pointing 
to  Mi-.  Clincher,  "  by  going  among  seamen  armed  with 
brass  knuckles  ?  What  right  has  he  to  strike  me  with 
them?— here,  here!"  he  cried,  placing  his  hand  upon 
his  side. 

"Silence,  sir!" 

The  man  stood  twirling  his  doffed  hat  in  scornful 
silence. 

"  Are  you  drunk,  my  man  ?"  asked  the  skipper. 

"  No,  sir ;  I  am  not  drunk.  But  wrong  and  tyranny 
make  me  mad.  It  is  revenge  I  want ! " 

Quicker  than  thought  he  sprang  upon  Clincher.  The 
women  screamed,  and  all  ran  below  save  the  dark  wo- 
man whose  eyes  glared  so.  She  stood  erect  and  motion- 
less, gazing  on  the  scene. 

Captain  and  pilot  coming  to  the  mate's  rescue,  the 
combatants  were  soon  parted  Then  two  other  sailors 
sprung  up  the  quarter-deck. 

"  Down,  men !  down  ! "  shouted  the  captain. 

They  hesitated ;  their  motive  seemed  unfixed ;  per- 


A      MUTINEER.  21 

haps  it  was  to  intercede ;  possibly  to  interfere ;  and 
their  broad  fists  were  clenched.  In  any  event  they  had 
no  business  there ;  and  Major  June,  not  wishing  to  bear 
part  in  this  matter,  but  to  leave  the  ship's  officers  to 
vindicate  their  authority,  stood  violently  shaking  his 
cane  at  the  intruders. 

Not  long  had  they  to  decide.  The  pilot  turned  upon 
them  in  their  irresolution,  and  hurled  them  both  head- 
long down  the  stairway. 

"  Mr.  Clincher,"  said  the  skipper,  "  put  this  man  in 
irons." 

Mr.  Clincher  disappeared  awhile,  and  returned  with 
a  pair  of  handcuffs. 

Still  the  old  woman  stood  gazing  unmoved.  The 
mate  approached  the  rebel  with  the  irons.  On  his  right 
hand  were  seen  the  formidable  knuckles  of  brass.  The 
sailor's  eyes  flashed  as  he  saw  them,  and  again  he 
rushed  upon  the  officer  —  friendless  as  he  was  there. 

Clincher  did  not  strike.  A  scuffle  ensued,  and  the 
man  was  fettered.  Words  flew  :  "  tyrants  ! "  "  venge- 
ance ! "  "  liberty  ! "  "  blood  ! "  were  heard  addressed  to 
the  skipper. 

"  My  man,  I  give  you  fair  warning  to  be  still." 

"  Never  ! "  shouted  the  prisoner,  blind  and  mad  with 
fury  :  and  again  those  fearful  words,  and  others  worse. 

Let  us  not  dwell  upon  the  scene.  Authority  and  dis- 
cipline vrcre  vindicated,  as  the  victim  fell  heavily  upon 


22  FACA. 

the  deck.  At  the  same  moment  the  dark  old  woman 
fainted,  uttering  no  word.  Two  females  bore  her  down 
into  the  cabin,  and  one  was  young  and  beautiful. 

A  fearful  shudder  went  through  the  ship,  and  it  was 
whispered,  from  pallid  face  to  pallid  face,  that  George 
had  met  the  fate  of  a  mutineer. 

The  dark  woman  came  slowly  again  to  her  senses. 
Then  she  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  young  girl  with  a  wild 
confused  stare. 

"  Francisca,"  she  murmured. 

"  What  say  you,  grandmamma  ?  " 

«  Ha !  no,  Faca." 

"  Dear  grandmamma." 

A  short  old  woman,  with  a  pleasant,  dimpled  face, 
came- into  the  state-room  ;  she  said  nothing,  but  casting 
an  anxious,  glance  towards  the  duenna,  began  setting 
things  in  order  for  a  sick-room  siege.  Possibly  her 
gentle  bustling  disturbed  Constanza,  the  dark  woman. 
Her  face  underwent  a  variety  of  contortions,  which 
greatly  alarmed  the  girl. 

"  Mother,"  said  Faca  to  the  short  bustling  woman  ; 
Mrs.  Trainor  stepped  up  promptly  to  the  bedside.  The 
duenna  rolled  her  eyes  upon  her :  speaking  with  diffi- 
culty she  asked, 

"Was  it  he?" 

"Who,  Constanza?" 

"  Jesu  Maria ! "  groaned  the  woman   turning  away 


A      MUTINEER.  23 


her  face.  "  Alone  on  earth  !  alone,  alone  ! "  she  mur- 
mured. The  dark  shadows  of  the  past  hovered  over 
her.  Its  brooding  wings  seemed  to  gather  her  poor 
senses  beneath  them.  How  is  it,  man,  when  you  can 
take  shelter  only  under  the  remembrance  of  troubles, 
when  hope  dies,  and  you  take  counsel  with  despair  ? 

The  stern  spirit  over  which  the  billows  rolled,  strug- 
gled with  its  pain,  which  grew  gentler  and  gentler,  till 
Constanza  turned  again  towards  her  attendants,  and 
asked,  with  tolerable  calmness, 

"The  man  who  was  struck  down  on  deck  —  is  he 
dead?" 

"  Men  say  so,"  replied  Mrs.  Trainor. 

"  Cannot  you  tell  me  for  certain  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell,  mother." 

Constanza  relapsed  into  silence.  The  dark  wings  of 
the  past  again  enfolded  her ;  the  present  and  its  sur- 
roundings seemed  forgotten.  She  began  talking  in  a 
low  hollow  tone,  that  seemed  to  belong  so  far  away  ! 

Mrs.  Trainor  noticed  the  excited  curiosity  of  Faca, 
who  listened  with  amazement.  Mrs.  Trainor  bade  the 
child  leave  her  grandmother,  and  go  on  deck,  or  down 
in  that  part  of  the  ship  where  the  other  soldier-women 
were,  for  this  state-room  was  one  belonging  to  the 
officers'  cabin. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    DOUBLE    CHASE. 

FACA  obeyed.  Then  Mrs.  Trainor  bustled  back  from 
the  door  which  she  closed  after  her  daughter,  to  the 
berth  where  the  sufferer  lay,  and  said  in  a  firm  voice  — 

"  Mother,  you  have  nearly  betrayed  yourself  to  the 
child.  Do  you  remember  your  promise  ?  " 

"  I  do ;  I  will  keep  it,"  and  a  hard  stern  look  settled 
on  her  face. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  skipper  to  the  officers,  as  they 
all  sat  down  at  dinner,  after  a  long  and  painful  silence, 
before  the  unrelished,  almost  untasted  food,  "  it  must 
seem  brutal." 

Judging  from  those  cloudy  faces,  that  was  not  a 
hazardous  remark. 

"  It  is  painful  to  me,"  continued  the  skipper.  "  I 
would  sooner  lose  a  finger  any  time  than  lay  it  upon  a 
seaman,  but  I  had  to  do  it.  Our  government  will  not 
protect  us  —  we  must  protect  ourselves  and  run  the 
chances.  Had  I  not  tamed  that  man,  I  should  have 
had  the  whole  crew  down  upon  me  before  long.  And 
they  might  have  joined  with  them  some  of  your  soldiers  — 
and  where  Js  the  end  to  the  trouble  ?  " 


THE      DOUBLE      CHASE.  25 

The  question  went  unanswered. 

"  There  is  always  one  question  to  settle  aboard  ship, 
sooner  or  later.  Who's  to  rule  ?  you  or  I  ?  the  ship's 
officers  or  the  ship's  crew  ?  I  take  it  now,  that  this 
point  is  decided,  and  I  hope  we  shall  have  no  more 
trouble,  and  witness  no  more  such  scenes." 

"  That  chap,"  said  the  pilot,  "  was  what  we  call  a 
'  sea  lawyer.'  They  come  on  board  with  their  long 
tongues,  and  talk  to  the  hands  of  rights  and  wrongs,  and 
all  that  sort  of  d  —  d  nonsense.  I  overheard  this  'ere 
very  chap  say  he'd  make  a  good  ship  of  her  before  she 
returned  to  New  York." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  skipper,  "  getting  the  upper  hand  of 
the  officers  is  what  they  call  making  a  good  ship.  I've 
known  a  whole  crew  refuse  to  work,  and  what  are  you 
going  to  do  ?  " 

"  Poor  fellows  ! "  sighed  Major  June,  so  as  not  to  be 
heard  by  the  captain." 

"  Poor  fiddlesticks ! "  ejaculated  another  officer,  towards 
whom  all  faces  were  turned  with  some  surprise. 

The  speaker  was  a  tall  gaunt  man,  with  rather  a 
wearied  look  upon  his  brown  features.  Time  seemed 
to  be  making  premature  havoc  there.  Without  another 
word  he  left  the  table. 

"  Don 't  mind  him,  captain,"  said  Major  June.  "  That's 

old  Sol,  the  Father  of  Lieutenants,  we  call  him.     He 

fancies  he  has  outlived  the  weaknesses  of  men  in  the 

twenty  years  he  has  been  waiting  his  untasted  promotion. 

3 


26  F  A  C  A  . 

I'll  lay  a  wager  now,  you'll  find  him  with  a  tear  in  his 
eye  this  minute." 

"  The  sailors  are  to  be  pitied  indeed,"  said  the  skipper. 
"  Take  these  men  of  mine.  They  haven 't  been  ashore 
perhaps  more  than  a  week  after  a  long  voyage.  As 
soon  as  they  go  ashore,  pockets  full,  the  boarding-house 
keepers,  or  boarding-masters,  as  they  call  'em,  get  Jem 
drunk,  cheat  them  out  of  every  copper,  club  in  with  the 
shipping-masters  and  ship  them  off  before  they  get 
sober.  As  for  the  shipping-masters  they  often  rob  them 
of  the  month's  advance  pay,  under  some  pretence  or 
other,  —  a  board-bill  or  some  other  debt,  and  so  com- 
pletely impose  upon  credulous  Jack,  that,  he  turns  round 
and  says,  '  thank  ye,  sir  ! '  " 

"  Christopher  ! "  exclaimed  the  major.  "  No  wonder 
they  won 't  work  !  I  'd  mutiny  myself,  sir  ! " 

At  this  moment  the  cry  was  heard  overheard — 

"  A  duck,  a  duck  overboard  !  " 

The  officers  rose  from  the  table  and  ascended  the  deck, 
where  they  saw  the  soldiery,  lately  penetrated  with  awe 
and  terror,  now  jeering  and  laughing  with  infinite  good 
humor  at  the  erratic  performances  of  an  escaped  duck. 

The  gladdened  little  creature,  having  by  a  skillful 
movement  thrust  himself  between  the  bars  of  hia  prison, 
and  either  smelt  or  seen  his  native  element,  had  incon- 
tinently flung  himself  into  the  sea." 

With  joy  he  dipped  down  his  bill ;  then  finding  it  so 
salt,  and  different  from  all  former  experiments,  he 


THE      DOUBLE      CHASE.  27 

became  frightened  and  swam  again  rapidly  for  the  ship. 
Here  he  encountered  the  high  wooden  wall,  and  a  human 
enemy  still  more  forbidding,  in  the  second  mate,  worthy 
Mr.  Junks,  an  old  wbalesman  and  experienced  harpooner, 
stood  ready  to  fling  a  slip  noose  around  the  timid  bird's 
long  neck,  and  away  he  swam,  instinctively  cautioned 
against  the  common  enemy  of  his  race. 

It  was  a  matter  of  interest  to  see  what  he  would  try 
next.  Again  he  dipped  his  bill  into  the  briny  water, 
shook  his  wise  head,  tried  it  once  more,  and  then  essayed 
to  fly  away.  But  his  wings  refused  their  office,  —  he 
was  neither  a  salt-water  duck,  nor  a  wild  one,  but  a 
weak,  civilized  slave  of  man. 

Here  his  cogitations  were  startled  by  a  bullet,  whoss 
before-unheard-of  music  came  singing  but  too  near  his 
head,  and  down  he  dived  ;  then  up  he  came,  and  swam 
around  and  around,  bewildered  and  frightened,  and  div- 
ing and  paddling  this  way  and  that,  as  ball  after  ball 
flew  into  the  water,  near  him,  now  on  this  side  it  came, 
and  now  on  that,  over  his  head,  or  falling  short.  Oh  ! 
it  was  rare  but  savage,  inhuman  sport. 

It  was  from  the  revolver  of  old  Sol,  that  the  bullets 
came ;  whether  to  save  the  little  creature  from  a  still 
worse  fate,  or  what  not,  no  one  knew  so  well  as  old  Sol 
himself. 

"  Mr.  Junks  ! "  called  out  the  captain. 

"  Sir  ! "  responded  Mr.  Junks. 

"  Let  down  the  quarter-boat  and  catch  that  fowl." 


28  FACA. 

"  Ay  yi,  sir  !     I  '11  make  sure  of  him," 

The  gentlemen  remonstrated ;  even  old  Sol  pleaded 
"  that  the  bird  had  fairly  won  its  freedom." 

"  There  is  no  telling  how  important  it  may  be  before 
the  end  of  the  voyage,"  coolly  replied  the  skipper,  as 
Junks  and  two  seamen  pulled  away  in  the  small  boat. 
But  ere  many  strokes  of  the  oars  the  water-fowl  scented 
the  danger,  and  began  to  use  its  own  paddles. 

In  a  few  minutes  however  the  "chase"  was  over- 
hauled. Junks  stood  in  the  bow,  bent  down ;  the  boat  is 
almost  on  the  bird,  Junks  snatched  below  at  the  water, 
and  lo  !  he  missed  him." 

"Bravo  !"  shouted  Major  June. 

New  Junks  took  the  oar ;  again  the  boat  is  on  the 
enemy  ;  the  oar  descends  —  surely  that  head  is  worth 
nothing  to  thee  now,  my  long-billed  friend  !  No,  he 
has  dived  down  and  come  up  away  yonder. 

"  Bravo  !  "  again  cried  the  cheery  major. 

Then  the  quarter-boat  was  signalled  in,  and  Mr. 
Junks  returned  somewhat  discomfitted. 

While  Mr.  Junks  was  pulling  in,  the  people  on  deck 
were  startled  by  an  apparation,  for  surely  it  seemed  no 
less.  There  is  the  pale  and  bloody  mutineer.  His 
hands  are  free ;  he  holds  a  long  knife ;  he  sees  Clincher, 
he  comes,  the  avenger  ! 

Tearing  through  the  thick  crowd,  the  terrified  mate 
fled  towards  the  cabin  with  the  ghost  at  his  heels. 
Each  moment,  each  millionth  part  of  a  moment,  is 


THE      DOUBLE      CHASE.  29 

marked  in  that  race  of  two  score  feet,  between  the  two 
pale  faces,  with  the  knife  glittering  above.  The  mate 
reaches  the  cabin  ere  the  steel  descends ;  and  the  pur- 
suer vanishes." 

Then  the  captain,  and  Mr.  Junks,  and  that  pale  mate, 
are  seen,  the  latter  with  a  pistol  in  his  trembling  hand, 
searching  the  ship.  A  hiss,  and  cries  of  "  shame  ! "  are 
heard  rising  from  the  soldiers,  who  witness  the  search, 
stifled  by  their  officers,  who  fly  among  the  men  with 
drawn  swords. 

The  moments  again  seem  ages,  each  one  expected 
with  a  shot  from  Clincher's  pistol.  But  it  is  not  heard, 
nor  is  George  seen.  The  sailors  are  called  aft,  and 
addressed  by  the  skipper  ;  but  what  is  become  of  George 
no  one  may  tell,  for  he  is  not  there. 

Mr.  Junks  only  seems  to  know.  Mr.  Junks  was  a 
short,  erect,  laconic  man.  One  of  those  people  who  look 
wise  and  say  nothing.  So  nothing  could  be  drawn  from 
Junks,  and  the  fate  of  George,  the  mutineer,  remained  a 
mystery. 

3* 


CHAPTER    IV. 

FACA    AND    THE    LIEUTENANT. 

Love  is  a  pearl  of  purest  hue, 
But  stormy  waves  are  round  it. 

L.  E.  L. 

God  gives  us  love. 

TENNYSON. 

A  LIGHT  "breeze  from  the  south  'ard  and  east  'ard 
caused  a  sensation  of  relief  and  pleasure  among  "  all 
hands."  The  anchor  was  lifted,  sail  after  sail  was  set, 
and  like  a  new-horn  spirit,  arming  himself  with  great 
powers,  the  ship  raised  her  white  wings  and  bore  away 
with  her  mighty  unknown  world.  A  little  vessel  appear- 
ing in  the  distance,  the  pilot  watched  it  narrowly. 

The  only  talkative  pilot  ever  known  was  he.  With 
their  eyes  aloft,  or  ahead,  and  mouths  full  of  quid,  this 
class  of  men  are  noised  abroad  for  their  authoritative, 
dogmatic,  taciturnity.  None  such  was  Pilot  Friendly. 
He  delighted  in  talking.  He  called  the  captain  his 
"  boyj"  after  the  fashion  of  nurses  who  are  fain  to  claim 
all  the  little  ones  they  marshal  into  existence,  —  so 
often  had  he  brought  the  captain  into  port,  and  then 
seen  him  fairly  to  sea  again.  With  one  eye  on  the 
man  at  the  wheel,  and  another  forward,  or  upward,  this 
pilot  gave  his  tongue  to  the  passengers. 


FACA      AND     THE      LIEUTENANT.          31 

"  My  grandfather  was  a  pilot,"  said  Friendly,  "  my 
father  was  a  pilot,  my  brothers  are  both  pilots,  and  — 
my  mother  was  a  pilot." 

"What's  that,  sir  ?"  asked  the  major,  pricking  up 
his  ears. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Friendly,  smiling  on  the  simple 
major  in  a  patronising  way,  "  I  'm  pilot  from  both  sides 
of  the  house.  I  '11  tell  you  how  it  was.  The  pilot  boat 
had  been  out  cruising  round  a  week  or  more,  and  every 
man  who  could  steer  a  ship  was  suddenly  employed, 
leaving  no  one  on  board  but  the  old  lady  and  two  boys. 
It  was  twenty  miles  off  Sandy  Hook.  A  ship  hove  in 
sight  and  had  to  be  taken  in ;  my  mother  took  the  helm, 
crossed  the  bar,  made  the  Narrows,  and  sailed  up  to  the 
city  safe  and  sound.  Captain,  where  's  your  bawling- 
iron?" 

"My  what?" 

"  Your  bawling-iron,  boy  !  or  speaking  trumpet,  or 
whatever  ye  call  it  ?  " 

The  pilot  hailed  his  little  clipper-built  schooner,  which 
sent  a  boat  off  to  the  Aldebaran.  Friendly  took  "  the 
last  letters"  —  the  officers  had  each  written  a  score,  at 
least,  of  "  last  letters,"  — gave  his  "  boy  "  a  warm  grip 
of  the  hand,  and  descended  the  side  of  the  ship  to  his 
jolly-boat. 

"  Never-Sink "  lighthouse  did  "  sink  "  that  night,  at 
least  Junks  said  so.  And  next  morning  the  ship  was 
fairly  at  sea,  for  a  flock  of  Mother  Carey's  chickens  were 


32  FACA. 

seen,  close  at  hand,  following  in  the  wake  of  the  vessel, 
and  picking  up  the  crumbs  that  fell. 

What  sweet,  cheery  little  sounds  they  piped  forth  ! 
Some  of  the  soldiers'  children  had  great  fun  catching 
these  little  birds,  by  means  of  fine  spool  thread,  which 
they  suffered  to  unwind  and  stream  loosely  in  the  air : 
the  foolish  chickens  knew  no  better  than  to  entangle 
their  wings,  and  were  hauled  in  amid  wild  shouts  of 
childish  delight.  It  was  not  Junks,  but  Clincher,  who 
taught  the  urchins  thus  to  inveigle  the  silly  birds.  Yet 
Clincher  was  not  a  bad  man,  but  delighted  in  small 
children,  and  small  jokes,  too,  as  we  shall  see  in  due 
time. 

The  poor  old  woman  was  able  to  be  on  deck  to-day. 
There  she  stands,  with  that  beautiful  girl  and  a  young 
corporal  —  we  know  it  by  the  chevrons  on  his  arm  — 
Corporal  Marshal,  reader. 

The  old  woman  wears  a  mantle  over  her  head,  and  a 
white  cap  of  many  folds  beneath  ;  and  her  hair  is  very 
grey.  The  girl  is  dressed  in  a  neat,  closely-fitting  dress 
of  grey  linen,  which  sets  off  a  graceful  figure.  Her 
features  are  very  chastely  chiselled,  and  her  eyes,  how 
intensely  black,  and  yet  how  soft  they  are. 

The  thoughts  of  the  dark  woman  are  evidently  wan- 
dering, but  those  of  the  young  couple  are  nearer  by, 
for  they  seem  to  watch  the  little  petrels  with  some  in- 
terest. 


FACA      AND      THE      LIEUTENANT.  33 

• 

"  I  know  of  nothing  more  solitary,"  said  the  young 
man,  speaking  to  the  old  woman,  "  than  a  lone  stormy 
petrel  far  out  at  sea." 

The  young  girl  looked  grateful  for  the  word  said  to 
her  aged  companion  ;  but  the  latter,  if  she  heeded  the 
remark  at  all,  said  nothing. 

"  Shall  I  sing  you  some  verses  about  one  ? "  asked 
the  young  man. 

Again  tlu  grateful  look  of  those  eloquent  bright 
eyes. 

The  duenna  only  nodded  a  stern  sort  of  approval. 

The  young  man  walked  away  in  an  easy,  martial 
manner,  followed  by  the  soft  beautiful  eyes.  He  re- 
turned soon  with  a  small  guitar,  and  looking  over  the 
sea,  by  the  side  of  Faca,  who  stood  facing  the  dark 
woman,  sitting  near  the  taffrail  with  her  hands  folded, 
the  young  soldier  sang  to  a  low  plaintive  melody  his 

SONG  OF   THE  STORMY  PETREL  AND  POND  LILY. 

"  Pretty  pond  lily,  wil  't  wander  with  me  ? 
I  wait  on  the  storm-king  far  o'er  the  sea ; 
My  winglets  are  fleet  o'er  the  billowy  foam ; 
I  've  never  a  resting  place  —  never  a  home." 

4  Stormy  petrel,  thou  art  sighing  for  rest ; 
Come  sleep  on  my  bosom ;  come  dwell  in  my  breast ; 
The  storm-king  shall  call  thee  in  vain  from  the  shore ; 
Thy  trumpet-scream  lead  on  his  battles  no  more." 


34  FAG  A. 

• 

"  Pretty  pond  lilly,  the  sea  must  be  crost ; 
The  knight-clouds  are  must  'ring  their  helmeted  host ! 
My  destiny  beckons  from  love  and  from  thee  ; 
In  dreams  let  thy  gentle  thoughts  wander  with  me." 

' '  Stormy  petrel !  I  will  sail  o'er  the  main  ! 
This  bosom  shall  bear  thee  in  peril  and  pain." 

"Yet,  where  were  the  shelter,  fair  lily,  for  thee  ;-- 
Thy  soft  petals  scattered  abroad  on  the  sea  ?  " 

"  'T  is  home  where  my  love  is,  by  sea  or  by  shore ; 
Thy  winglet  my  shelter,  I  pray  for  no  more : 
A  providence  cares  for  the  stormy  petrel ; 
The  sea-weed  is  watched  till  the  ocean  is  still." 

There  was  a  hush  on  the  quarter-deck  while  these 
simple  words  were  singing,  though  few  besides  Major 
June  caught  their  meaning  as  they  fell.  He  watched 
the  young  soldier  as  the  latter  turned  towards  his  fair 
companion,  saw  the  little  blush  which  tried  to  hide  it- 
self under  her  ringlets,  and  noticed  a  silent  tear  trickle 
down  the  wrinkled  brown  cheek  of  that  old  woman. 

"  Christopher  ! "  exclaimed  the  major,  "  that  girl 
runs  in  my  head  like  a  new  tune." 

"What  girl?"  asked  Old  Sol. 

"  The  one  in  grey  linen,  with  the  old  woman.  Ex- 
cept the  raven  of  her  eyes  and  hair,  she  is  of  the  pure 
American  order." 

"  American  order  ! "  sneered  Old  Sol. 


FACA      AND     THE      LIEUTENANT.  35 

"  Yes,  sir  !  I  throw  down  my  gauntlet  on  that !  We 
have  an  American  order  of  female  beauty.  It  is  not 
Greek,  after  Scopas'  Venus,  nor  Italian,  after  the  Venus 
de  Medici,  —  an  imitation  of  Scopas, — nor  after  the 
Madonna,  —  an  imitation  of  both,  with  a  trace  of  He- 
brew ;  nor  yet  English,  nor  French,  nor  Spanish." 

"  Then  what  is  it  ?  "  asked  Old  Sol,  now  curious. 

"  Composite,  sir,  and  distinct  as  the  composite  order 
of  architecture." 

"Can  you  define  it?" 

"Yes;  the  oval  face,  brown  hair,  blue  eyes,  jaw  not 
so  square  as  the  Grecian,  cheek-bone  less  protuberant 
than  Spanish  or  Indian,  nose  less  prominent  than  He- 
brew or  Italian,  eyes  less  almond-shaped  than  the  Ori- 
ental ;  —  the  oval,  sir,  perfect  oval !  that  is  the  highest 
expression  for  the  American  style  of  beauty.  Christo- 
pher, there  she  stands,  now  !  I  hope  she  has  not  over- 
heard me." 

Thus  Major  June  established  it,  that  Faca,  with  her 
oval  face  was  the  pure  type  of  American  beauty. 

A  black  boy  came  upon  the  quarter-deck,  and  an- 
nounced the  evening  meal  to  the  party,  with  a  ludic- 
rous bow  and  scrape. 

As  they  went  below,  one  by  one,  Old  Sol  lingered  be- 
hind the  others,  and  stole  an  inquisitive  shy  look  at 
Faca ;  then  he  blushed  as  he  saw  her  advancing  or 


36  FAG  A. 

making  an  involuntary  movement  towards  him.  He 
was  quite  sure  now. 

"  Little  Faca  ! "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Lieutenant  Soldan,  I  am  so  glad,  sir,  to  meet  yon 
again." 

"  I  must  not  call  you  'little  Faca'  now." 

"  0  yes,  sir,  more  than  ever,"  was  her  eager  reply. 

As  he  left  her,  Faca  blushed,  and  then  sighed,  to 
think  how  womanhood  was  coming  to  separate  her  from 
such  a  friend  —  womanhood  was  not  all,  alas!  their 
ranks  in  life  were  so  different. 

Thus  we  go  on  dividing,  we  grown  up  children !  Shall 
not  the  Fates  draw  Faca  and  her  old  friend  together 
again  ?  Far  ahead  we  see  the  bending  forms  of  love, 
mutiny,  death  !  The  child  shall  prove  herself  a  woman, 
the  man  a  child. 

Thus  we  approach  each  other,  we  children  of  destiny ! 


CHAPTER    V. 

NOON    AND    NIGHT. 

Boll  on,  thou  deep  and  dark  blue  ocean  —  roll ! 

BYKON. 

"  LIEUTENANT,"  asked  the  skipper  of  the  commissary 
next  day,  "  shall  I  help  you  to  a  bit  of  the  larboard 
breast  of  the  turkey?" 

"  Ye-a-a-s;  no,  sir!  (hastily)  I,  I  thank  you,  I,  I  — " 
and  the  lieutenant  went  above. 

"  To  heave  the  log,"  said  one. 

"  To  cast  up  his  accounts,"  said  another. 

"  Dead  reckoning,"  drily  remarked  Old  Sol. 

Old  Sol  suddenly  turned  pale  himself. 

"  Officer  of  the  day !  officer  of  the  day !  two  men 
fighting  ! "  said  a  soldier  rushing  in  out  of  breath. 

Now,  old  Sol  was  officer  of  the  day,  and  so  far  from 
staying  hostile  proceedings  among  the  men,  it  was 
more  than  sufficient  for  him  to  settle  his  own  beligerent 
Stomach,  just  now  revolting  too.  Old  Sol  was  not  nice, 
he  would  have  given,  with  Gonzalo, 

"  A  thousand  furlongs  of  the  sea  for  an  acre  of  barren  ground, 
long  heath,  brown  furze,  anything." 

4 


88  F  A  C  A . 

Evening  fell,  and  the  wind  fell.  Up  rose  a  fog.  It 
swallowed  up,  at  eight  o'clock,  the  foretop,  the  stars, 
the  sea  and  sky. 

The  officers  settled  gloomily  in  the  cabin.  The  men 
dropped  away  into  their  berths  'by  fours. 

Tattoo  broke  from  the  bellies  of  two  drums  and  the 
throats  of  two  fifes,  and  fell  from  the  precipices  of  night, 
as  the  herd,  possessed  by  evil  spirits,  broke  down  the 
crags  of  Judea,  fell  into  the  sea. 

"  Taps "  beat,  and  all  the  world  swung  in  ham- 
mocks at  rest.  The  mist  rolled  up,  pile  on  pile,  of  moun- 
tains, Alps  of  the  sky. 

Now  a  great  ball  of  white  fire  flies  from  those  cloud- 
craters,  upwards  !  upwards  !  and  the  moon  bestrides 
the  sea  and  heaven  "  like  a  Colossus."  0,  the  moun- 
tains of  cloud-land  !  are  they  not  more  beautiful,  with 
night  and  morning  sitting  on  their  grey  and  blue  cliffs, 
like  watchful  shepherds  with  their  crooks,  while  God's 
lambs  roam  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  ocean,  than  the 
mountains  of  "  this  too  solid  earth." 

It  may  be  that  Faca  was  romantic,  for  she  stole  out 
of  her  berth,  above  the  duenna,  flitted  through  the  empty 
cabin,  and  gained  the  quarter-deck,  to  star-gaze ;  the  full- 
orbed  radiant  moon  shone  down  upon  the  ship,  and 
flooded  the  sea  —  the  wide,  wide  mystic  sea  ! 

Except  the  watch  and  sentries,  all  tne  hundreds  of 
souls  with  whom  the  Aldebaran  was  freighted  were 
bound  in  sleep.  .Major  June,  standing  not  far  off,  alone 


NOON      AND      NIGHT.  39 

was  alive  to  the  glories  that  sparkled  around  in  the  full 
tide  of  moonlight. 

The  wheelsman  silently  stood  at  his  steadfast  work, 
now  gazing  aloft,  narrowly  watching  the  sails,  and  now 
peering  into  the  binnacle,  to  keep  the  ship  on  her  course. 
Near  the  mizzen-mast  stood  the  second  mate,  ever  and 
anon  scanning  the  horrizon  with  his  "  weather-eye  "  and 
keeping  a  strict  watch  upon  "the  ship's  motion,  calling  out 
at  long  intervals, 

"  How  does  she  head  ?  " 

"  South-by-West,  sir  ! " 

On  either  side  the  wheel,  seamen  lay  "  keeled  up " 
with  sleep,  ready  to  spring  at  a  word,  while  forward, 
stood  one  looking  out  with  sleepless  eyes,  ahead. 

"  Sail  ho  ! "  he  cries. 

"  Where  away  ?  "  demands  the  mate. 

"  Three  points  o'  the  weather  bow,  sir  ! " 

On  the  main  deck  walks  the  sentry,  with  sleepy, 
monotonous  pace,  waiting  impatiently  to  be  relieved  by 
some  one  of  those  buckled  and  belted  figures  stretched 
out  at  the  feet  of  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  who  leans 
over  there  against  the  railing,  nodding. 

"  Silence  and  the  sea  ;  two  sublime  infinities  !  incapa- 
ble of  comprehension,  what  eloquence  ! "  murmured  the 
devout  major  to  himself.  "  And  amidst  it  all,  lit  on  her 
lonely  way  by  thousands  of  heavenly  lamps,  with  her 
white  topsails  steepling  to  the  sky,  the  precious  bur- 


40  F  A  C  A . 

dened  ship  shakes  the  light  sea-dew  from  her  strong 
waist,  and  goes  bounding  along  like  a  lion." 

"  Yes,"  again  murmured  the  major,  "  a  ship  at  sea 
is  one  of  the  three  most  beautiful  things  in  the  world." 

Then  lifting' his  eyes  to  the  starry  heavens,  he  repeated 
to  himself  those  glorious  words  of  Milton  :  — 

"Moon!  that  now  meet'st  the.  orient  sun,  now  fly 'st, 
With  the  fix'd  stars,  fix'd  in  the  orb  that  flies ; 
And  ye  five  other  wandering  fires  !   that  move, 
In  mystic  dance  not  without  song,  resound 
His  praise,  who  out  of  darkness  called  up  light 
Air !   and  ye  elements  !   the  eldest  birth 
Of  nature's  womb,  that  in  quaternion  run 
Perpetual  circle,  multiform,  and  mix 
And  nourish  all  things  ;   let  your  careless  change 
Vary  to  our  great  Maker  still  new  praise." 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE     BRIGHT    BUTTONS. 

HOW    QUARTERED    FED    AND    CLEANSED    AT    SEA. 

The  beaten  soldier  proves  most  manful, 
That,  like  his  sword  endures  the  anvil, 
And  justly  's  held  more  formidable, 
The  more  his  valor 's  malleable. 

HUDIBHAS. 

OUK  hero,  Corporal  Marshal,  was  lodged  aboard  ship 
in  the  most  unromantic  manner.  Soldiers  always  are. 
Sometimes  they  are  made  to  stretch  out,  without  mat- 
trasses,  on  the  soft  side  of  a  plank,  between  decks,  or 
anywhere.  Sometimes  they  have  mattresses — most 
commonly  only  blankets  —  one  each  ;  but  they  club  to- 
gether, and  bunk  in  on  shares.  The  Aldebaran  was  a 
regular  emigrant  ship,  and  provided  with  bunk-frames 
suspended  by  iron  rods,  between  decks.  Four  men 
slept  in  a  bunk,  where  four  Irishmen,  four  Dutchmen, 
or  four  women,  or  three  men  and  one  woman,  and  a  few 
children,  or  three  women  and  one  man,  had  often  slept 
together  before. 

There  were  bulk-heads  in  the  after  part  of  the  ship 

below,  fitted  up  with  bunks.     In  these  separate  apart- 
40 


42  FACA. 

merits,  "separate,"  because  the  ^occupants  were  subdi- 
vided here,  by  twenties,  from  the  mass,  the  married  folk, 
bandmen,  and  other  elite  of  the  ranks  were  stowed 
away.  The  crowds  in  these  rooms  were  thicker,  the  air 
more  confined. 

The  deck,  still  further  down  below,  served  for  storing 
away  the  provisions  required  for  immediate  use,  and 
was  likewise  used  as  a  drill-hall. 

Further  down  still,  was  the  hold,  where  the  water 
hogsheads,  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  provisions  and 
ship's  stores  were  packed  away.  The  crew  slept  in 
their  own  castle — the  forecastle. 

Major  June's  command  was  divided  into  companies 
and  detachments  at  Governor's  Island,  where  they  had 
been  drilled  awhile.  These  divisions  were  preserved  on 
shipboard,  and  the  first  night  it  was  important  to  have 
them  all  assigned  to  their  respective  bunks,  for  the  neat 
police  of  which  the  men  were  held  severally  accountable. 
This  is  an  important  matter  in  all  transport  ships,  — 
the  basis  of  order  and  cleanliness. 

Cooks  and  cooks'  attendants  were  selected  from  the 
soldiers.  Each  day  the  rations  for  the  day  were  deliv- 
ered to  these  "  chosen  few,"  to  prepare  for  the  many. 
The  recruit,  unlike  the  state  of  things  in  garrison,  had 
no  plates,  knives  or  forks,  tables  or  napkins.  In  his 
knapsack,  rolled  up  in  a  stock  or  stocking,  was  an  iron 


THE      BRIGHT      BUTTOXS.  43 

spoon,  and  from  his  waist-belt  dangled  a  tin  cup.  The 
two  comprised  a  military  outfit  for  a  rational  repast. 

At  tap  of  drum  the  ranks  of  one  company  were 
formed  for  eating.  They  marched  towards  the  galley 
by  file  on  one  side,  filled  their  cups,  moved  around  the  gal- 
ley, and,  returning  down  on  the  other  side,  took  the 
bread  or  meat,  or  whatever  was  to  be  eaten,  on  the 
hand  as  a  plate,  and  bestowed  themselves  in  whatever 
part  of  the  ship  was  handy,  and  secure  from  sailors, 
music-boys,  dogs,  pigs,  or  other  beasts  of  prey. 

Then  the  next  company  marched  up  with  the  like 
"  intrepid  tread,"  received  their  rations,  and  hied  away, 
all  and  several,  to  some  place  of  security. 

The  American  soldier's  ration  is  good  and  liberal, 
uncomparable  in  any  other  community-life,  military  or 
civil,  from  Shakerdom  to  Sebastopol,  or  from  an  asylum 
down  to  a  Fourierite  phalanx,  to  wit. :  — > 

Three-fourths  of  a  pound  of  pork  or  bacon,  or 

One  and  one-fourth  pounds  of  fresh  beef,  and 

Eighteen  ounces  of  bread  or  flour  for  each  man  per 
day,  and  at  the  rate  of 

Eight  quarts  of  beans  or  peas,  or  in  lieu  thereof,  ten 
pounds  of  rice, 

Six  pounds  of  coffee, 

Twelve  pounds  of  sugar, 

Four  quarts  of  vinegar, 

One  and  a  half  pounds  of  tallow,  or 


44  FACA. 

One  pound  of  sperm  candles, 

Four  pounds  of  soap,  and 

Two  quarts  of  salt,  to  the  hundred  rations. 

Besides  this,  at  sea,  or  wherever  it  is  deemed,  by  the 
surgeon  and  commanding  officer,  to  be  necessary,  there 
is  a  liberal  supply  of  molasses,  onions,  pickles,  dried 
apples,  and  other  anti-scorbutics,  and,  if  at  a  post,  what- 
ever fish  may  be  caught,  or  vegetables  raised. 

The  human  form  divine  is  never  a  pleasant  specta- 
cle when  feeding ;  but  recruits  !  hurly-burly,  scuffling 
and  "  grubbing,"  growling  like  wild  beasts,  cramming 
like  pelicans  or  sea-ravens :  "  stealings  in,  and  de  'il 
take  the  hindmost ! "  is  the  cry. 

There  the  officer  of  the  day  stands,  above  the  herd, 
shaking  his  fist,  his  foot,  his  hat,  his  sabre,  anything 
he  can  lay  hold  of,  calling  for  the  guard,  swearing  and 
storming  !  0  !  how  our  officers  swear  at  —  recruits  ! 

Some  of  the  non-commissicned  officers  are,  if  possible, 
yet  more  fierce,  bearing  a  personal  interest  in  the  fray  ; 
and  they  accordingly  drive,  and  pull,  and  push,  and 
knock,  and  kick,  and  tear,  the  men  from  their  victuals, 
ill-gotten,  and  sometimes,  well-gotten,  but  under  sus- 
picion. 

"0  ! "  cried  a  short  puffy  man,  called  the  parson, 
"  I'd  sooner  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines.  I  'd 
sooner  have  a  millstone  hanged  around  my  neck  and  be 
cast  into  the  sea." 


THE      BRIGHT      BUTTONS.  45 

There  were  no  less  than  two  ex-parsons,  four  ex-doc- 
tors, and  six  ex-lawyers  on  board  —  recruits  !  some  for 
love,  some  for  liquor. 

Cupid  and  John  Barleycorn  make  many  soldiers  now- 
a-days.  It  used  to  be  Venus  and  Mars  ;  now  it  is  Venus 
and  Bacchus. 

Having  wandered  thus  far  from  our  story,  to  tell  the 
reader  how  soldiers  are  quartered  and  fed  at  sea,  he  may 
wish  to  know  how  they  are  cleansed.  "  Wash  him  !  " 
was  the  simple  advice  of  Mr.  Dick  to  Aunt  Betsey,  over 
the  forlorn  runaway,  Master  David  Copperfield. 

On  the  second  morning-  at  sea,  the  officers  in  the 
cabin  were  awakened  from  their  dreams  of  the  St. 
Nicholas,  or  the  June  fields  in  the  country,  pinks,  pop- 
pies, and  rosies,  red  cheeks,  white  muslin,  sweet  eyes, 
butter-cups,  and  buttermilk,  by  the  cry  of — "O  !  ho  ! 
Rosey,  haul !  "  to  which  a  violent  stoppage  was  put,  and 
the  sleepy  dreamers  jumped  from  their  berths  as  the 
vessel  shook,  with  the  shout  that  went  up. 

It  seems  that  a  hundred  or  more  of  the  soldiers  had 
taken  hold  of  a  rope  to  aid  the  sailors  in  bracing  up 
the  yards  and  were  pulling  away  in  lively  chorus, 
when,  by  a  sudden,  and  possibly  accidental  slip  of  the 
rope,  the  multitude  were  precipitated  upon  the  deck. 

At  surgeon's  call  that  morning,  sundry  unaccountable 
"  bumps  "  were  complained  of. 

After  surgeon's  call  came  guard  mounting.  A  guard 
of  twelve  was  daily  formed ;  four  sentinels  paced  the 


4G  FACA. 

decks,  at  a  "relief7'  of  two  hours  each,  or  were  posted 
over  the  water-tank,  or  at  other  spots  sacred  to  the  pro- 
fane moh. 

And  now  while  two  companies  go  below  to  drill, 
which  may  be  heard,  tramp,  tramp,  tramp !  those 
remaining  are  aligned  on  the  upper  deck. 

"  Two  ranks  face  inwards  !  "  is  the  sergeant's  order. 

"  Off  shoes  and  stockings  ! " 

"  Roll  up  your  pantaloons  to  your  knees  ! " 

"  Now,  fire  away ! " 

A  stream  of  cool  salt-water  issues  from  a  pipe,  along 
the  ranks,  delicious  to  the  legs  and  feet  of  the  soldiers. 
One  may  little  imagine  the  excitement,  the  almost  fear, 
the  thrilling  bodily  tremor,  previous  to  the  first  shock. 
That  over,  they,  delighted  in  the  cool  deluge,  hold  forth 
their  brawny  limbs  eagerly  for  the  water  to  breathe  its 
freshness  upon  them.  They  huddle  up  towards  the 
gushing  pipe  in  groups,  impatient  of  the  momentary 
delay  ere  "  their  turn  comes,"  and  dance  and  shout  for 
joy. 


CHAPTEE    VII. 

FACA    OF    "OUBS." 

With  thee  all  toils  are  sweet ;  each  clime  hath  charms ; 
Earth,  sea,  alike  —  our  world  within  our  arms. 

BTEON. 

THE  unconscious  beauty  of  the  ship  was  Faca,  adopted 
daughter  of  old  Orderly-Sergeant  Trainor,  of  the  8th 
Infantry. 

The  sergeant  had  married  a  better  person  than  camp- 
women  generally  are.  He  was  in  his  youth  stationed 
at  New  London,  in  the  State  of  Connecticut,  where  he 
found  his  pearl  of  a  little  wife,  the  daughter  of  a  once 
well-to-do  fanner  in  the  country  near. 

Faca,  their  only  child  was  carefully  brought  up,  for 
a  soldier's  child,  and  was  just  returning  to  the  regiment 
after  a  three  year's  cheap  but  thorough  finishing  up  in 
a  girl's  school. 

So  much  for  Faca  and  her  happy  parents,  whom  she 
deeply  loved  —  above  gallant  lovers,  above  fortune  and 
what  is  smoothly  called  "  respectability,"  above  the 
comforts  of  civil  life.  Faca  was  enthusiastic  in  her  love 
of  the  army,  for  officers  and  men  had  always  been  kind 
to  the  shy,  mysterious,  yet  well  behaved  child. 

The  young  soldier  seen  singing  last  evening  at  her 


48  FACA. 

side,  and  looking  fondly  with  his  fine  eyes  upon  Faca, 
was  no  hero  of  romance  —  he  was  only  a  corporal  in  old 
Sergeant  Trainor's  company.  He  had  lost  his  father 
when  a  hit  of  a  lad,  and  enlisted  for  a  musician  on 
Governor's  Island.  William  had  grown  up  under  Ser- 
geant Trainor's  eye. 

"  The  lad  has  sent  his  poor  old  mother  all  his  pay," 
said  the  sergeant  to  his  wife.  "  General  Jackson  !  I  'm 
not  afraid  to  have  him  go  with  our  little  daughter.  "For 
a  hoy  that 's  good  to  his  mother  will  he  good  to  his  wife, 
and  if  Faca  falls  in  love  with  the  like  of  William  Mar- 
shal what 's  the  harm  ?  " 

"  Yes  she  may  go  farther  and  fare  worse,  that  she 
might,  old  man ;  hut  its  to  think  of  ever  parting  with 
her,  that  makes  me  afraid  of  all  young  men,"  replied 
the  anxious  mother." 

Faca  herself  was  innocently  and  strangely  puzzled,  — 
for  was  not  William  a  gentle  and  handsome,  and  a  "brave 
youth  ?  Yes,  hut  Faca  wished  not  to  think  of  love  for 
many  a  year  yet ;  not  at  least  till  she  had  made  up,  hy 
personal  services,  for  the  expense  and  self-denial  of  her 
parents  in  keeping  her  so  long  at  school.  That  William 
was  marvellous  well-looking  could  not  he  gainsayed ; 
hut  in  New  England  schools  they  are  taught  to  gene- 
ralize, and  to  view  things  and  people  in  the  abstract, 
and  Faca  preferred  to  pass  hy  the  attentions  and  even 
notice  of  the  genus  homo.  And  as  for  flirting,  Faca  was 


FAG  A      OF      "OURS."  49 

such  a  simple  goose  of  a  child,  that  she  abominated  it ; 
So,  in  few  words,  Faca  was  coy. 

This  very  timidity  had  attracted  William  towards  her 
all  the  more,  especially  during  the  few  weeks  they 
had  spent  together  on  the  lovely  green  walks,  and 
under  the  wide  trees,  and  down  the  purling  beach,  at 
Governor's  Island,  where  William  had  last  served  on 
recruiting  duty,  and  where  the  Trainors  had  been  kept 
waiting  a  time,  for  an  opportunity  to  rejoin  their  regi- 
ment. 

But  there  was  a  greater  foe  than  Faca's  objections  to 
the  "genus  man,"  in  the  path  of  William  Marshal,  a 
very  lion.  Poor  William  could  not  resist  one  insidious 
enemy.  He  got  tipsy  on  occasions.  At  least  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph  said  so ;  perhaps  we  shall  see  who  this  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph  was  presently ;  and,  furthermore,  he  accounted  for 
the  strange  fact,  that  nobody  else  ever  suspected,  in 
this  way.  He  said^  that  "  an  old  infantry  officer  had 
early  taken  a  great  fancy  to  William,  and  taught 
him  his  own  three  accomplishments,  when  camped  amid 
the  everglades  of  Florida  ;  these  were  poetry,  music,  and 
tippling  secretly,  and  so  as  to  hide  the  effects  from  com- 
mon observers. 

But  one  pair  of  sharp  eyes  had  made  the  discovery 
of  William's  third  accomplishment,  and  he  was  a  rival. 
A  great  bushy-bearded,  tall  man,  the  drum-major  of  a 

band,  a   new  acquaintance,   and    William's   professed 
5 


50  F  A  C  A . 

friend.  This  was  Mr.  Bardolph,  and  he  was  some 
sort  of  a  foreigner,  nobody  knew  what.  How  closely 
had  he  watched  William  !  He  had  hovered  around 
him,  hid  behind  trees,  looked  in  at  windows,  dropped  in 
upon  him  at  bed-time  and  at  rising-time,  but  hitherto 
had  discovered  nothing  of  consequence  in  William's  love 
affairs. 

Faca  always  shrank  from  Mr.  Bardolph  instinctively. 
"Gentlemen  with  bushy  beards  are  seldom  favorites 
with  beautiful  young  women.  Thin,  watery,  slim, 
willowy  women,  of  a  certain  age,  admire  men  with 
bushy  beards,  in  fact,  are  not  so  particular  as  to  the 
beard,"  often  remarked  Old  Sol. 

Mr.  Bardolph  had  heard  the  song  of  the'  Stormy 
Petrel  and  the  Pond  Lily.  His  mind  was  made  up. 

"  Sergeant  Trainor,  my  very  dear  old  friend  ! " 

"  Bless  me  !  General  Jackson^  jjfcwore  with  a  wicked 
oath  the  old  orderly-sergeant.  What  brings  you  here 
so  early  in  the  morning  ?  "w^ff  wife  !  hurry  on 
your  clothes.  —  Sir  !  Mr.  Bardolph,  this  place  is  full  of 
women." 

Mr.  Bardolph  was  polite ;  he  withdrew.  Possibly  the 
expectation  of  meeting  Faca  en  dishabille  had  urged 
the  drum-major  into  one  of  the  married  people's  apart- 
ments, for  such  things  sometimes  urge  polite  men  — 
against  their  will,  of  course. 

In  a  moment  the  sergeant  followed  Mr.  Bardolph  out. 


FACA      OF      "OURS."  51 

"  My  dear  friend  your  daughter  is  in  danger  ! " 

"  Danger  !  what  ?  who  ?  speak  !  she  occupies  a 
state-room  in  the  cahin  with  her  grandmother,  at  the 
request  of  Major  June  himself." 

"  Corporal  Marshal,  sergeant." 

"  Well,  what  of  him  ?  he  too  in  danger  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  thereby  puts  in  jeopardy  the  fate  of  your 
daughter  ! " 

"What  the  devil !" 

"  Sergeant,  William  Marshal  drinks  ! n 

"  General  Jackson  ! "  gasped  the  weak  and  nervous 
old  man.  He  was  smitten  sorely  at  the  heart. 

With  no  little  display  of  pity,  the  wily  Bardolph  sup- 
ported the  old  sergeant  a  moment  at  the  door.  Then 
Mrs.  Trainor  came  and  relieved  him  of  the  precious 
"burden.  Let  the  loving  heart  only  tell  how  many  "bur- 
dens there  are  that  we  find  precious,  an  aged  father,  or 
a  sickly  child. 

Mr.  Bardolph  sauntered  slowly  along  the  dim  passage, 
triumphing  already  in  his  imagination,  and  charmed 
that  his  poison  had  taken  so  well,  when  he  heard  a  step 
hehind  him,  and  a  voice  striving  for  utterance,  he  turned. 
There  was  Faca's  grandmother.  Her  face  was  almost 
hidden  beneath  her  mouth,  hut  a  fearfully  flaming  eye 
shot  from  beneath  its  heavy  folds.  When  it  was  seen 
that  Mr.  Bardolph  awaited  her,  out  of  the  cloud  came  a 


52  F  A  C  A . 

trembling  finger,  a  long  and  bony  fore-finger,  and  then 
was  heard  a  shrill  voice. 

"  Man  !  man  !  thou  liest  !  —  beware  ! " 

"  Ha  !  ha  ! "  laughed  the  drum-major,  in  his  easiest 
manner,  "  old  lady,  you  are  excited." 

But  the  duenna  turned  and  re-entered  the  married 
people's  apartment. 

A  month  or  more  Mr.  Bardolph  had  known  the 
Trainors,  but  now  for  the  first  time  he  asked  himself, 
"  Who  is  this  mvsterious  old  witoh  of  their's  ?  " 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE    SHIP    MAKES  A  VARIETY  OF  NOISES. 

How  tenderly  Rousseau  reviewed 
His  periwinkles ! 

TOM  HOOD. 

THE  band-master -*-  not  the  drum-major  —  regales 
himself  with  his  violin  down  helow,  where  the  music- 
men  and  the  women  are.  The  notes  float  up  in  little 
blossom-like  sounds,  while,  from  a  distance  still  beyond, 
is  heard  the  regular  tramp  of  the  soldiers,  at  their 
drill. 

In  the  pantry  stands  the  black  boy  washing  after- 
dinner  dishes,  and  singing  to  the  steward  and  a  group 
of  waiting  orderlies  the  same  few  words  to  all  the  airs 
of  Era  Diavolo, — 

"  0,  how  I  should  like,— 
0,  how  I  should  like,  — 
0,  how  I  should  like 
To  be!" 

and  he  winds  off  with  as  many  flourishes  as  a  crazy 
trumpeter.  No  one  was  suffered  to  learn  precisely  what 
Snowball  aspired  "  to  be";  no  one  had  life  enough  to 


04  FACA. 

think,  for  his  monotonous  music,  like  the  drone  of  a 
summer  beetle,  only  steeped  the  listener  in  a  deeper 
and  dreamier  state  of  drowsiness. 

Courting  the  least  breath  of  air,  the  yards  are  brac- 
ing and  shifting  continually.  Sailors  and  soldiers  pull 
away  at  a  rope,  roaring  out  a  chorus  not  discreditable 
to  a  Mississippi  river  boat-gang.  A  little  fellow  with 
crisp,  curly  hair,  and  a  great  mouth,  and  a  great  voice, 
"  leads  the  train," — 

"  Pretty  girls  in  New  Orleans ; 

0  ho !  Rosey  —  haul ! 
Were  you  e'er  ia  Botany  Bay  ? 

Oho!  Rosey— haul! 
New  York  lasses  pretty  faces ; 

0  ho !  Rosey  —  haul ! " 

Then  another  Jack  Tar  breaks  in 

4 « Liverpool 's  a  d — d  bad  place ! 
Oho!  Rosey  — haul!" 

It  may  be  unnecessary  to  any  but  landsmen  to  hear, 
that  at  the  word  "  haul,"  all  hands  pull  together  on  the 
line,  and  then  brace  themselves  up  again  for  another 
tug.  All  join  enthusiastically  in  the  chorus,  and  the 
strength  of  lungs  and  muscle  put  forth,  is  proportioned 
to  the  spiciness  of  the  singer's  sentiment.  The  same 
happy  stroke  of  humor  that,  in  the  theatre  would  bring 


SHIP      NOISES.  55 

down  the  house,  ahoartl  ship  would  lift  an  anchor  or  trice 
up  a  mainsail.     A  good  song  will  raise  a  ship. 
One  meek  old  Jack  sleepily  trolls  out — 

"  My  old  woman  —  she  loves  gin ! 
0  ho  !  Rosey  —  HAUL  ! " 

"  Sergeant  Trainor  sick,  sir,"  reported  the  hospital- 
steward  that  morning  to  the  surgeon. 

"  Does  he  wish  to  see  me  ?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  he  requires  no  medicine.  I  offered  to 
hlced  the  patient,  and  give  him  twelve  grains  of  blue- 
mass,"  kindly  replied  the  hospital-steward,  flourishing 
his  pencil  in  a  professional  way,  like  a  lancet,  "but 
he  only  asks  to  he  excused  from  duty." 

"  Very  well,  steward" 

"  Corporal  Marshal  asks  to  wait  on  him,  sir." 

"  Let  him  attend  him." 

The  hospital-steward  gave  a  significant  shrug.  He 
was  jealous  of  Corporal  Marshal,  who  had  saved  the 
old  sergeant's  hlood  and  stomach  from  the  amhitious 
steward's  practice.  This  class  of  gentlemen  are  fond 
of  prescribing ;  a  few  medical  terms  is  all  they  need 
to  complete  their  vanity,  and  they  whip  a  lancet  into 
your  arm  before  you  know  it. 

In  the  ranks  of  civil  life  too,  men,  after  the  fashion 
of  hospital-stewards,  may  be  found  at  times.  A  smat- 
tering of  learning,  a  few  technical  words,  and  wo  be 


56  FACA. 

unto  you  !  These  rogues'  are  not  confined  to  the  medi- 
cal science,  nor  to  sciences  of  any  kind ;  they  find  their 
way  into  art  and  literature.  Your  hospital-steward  of 
art  will  cut  up  your  picture  with  his  lancet,  and  purge 
out  your  merit  with  his  blue-mass,  if  their  is  an  ounce 
of  true  genius  about  you.  And  of  all  the  flippant 
numskulls  in  the  world  commend  me  to  the  shrugging 
sort  who,  having  nothing  in  their  brains  to  say,  endea- 
vor to  hitch  up  their  shoulders  to  the  vacancy  in  their 
head  —  a  death-blow  to  a  certainty. 

Faca  was  not  seen  on  that  day  at  her  usual  post  be- 
side the  duenna,  near  the  taffrail ;  the  cloud  was  there, 
but  not  the  sunshine. 

Mr.  Bardolph  went  about  in  fine  spirits. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

HEART-BEATS  UNDER  BLUE  JACKETS 
AND  BRIGHT  BUTTONS. 

The  heart  is  like  the  sky —  a  part  of  heaven. 

BTBON. 

THE  second  mate,  Junks,  was  on  the  watch  in  the 
evening,  pacing  the  quarter  deck  in  a  communicative 
mood,  when  Major  June  came  up  from  the  cabin  to  en- 
joy the  sweet  sea  air  and  the  bright  stars. 

Junks.  I  think  the  wind  '11  haul  round  to  the  north- 
ard  and  west  'ard  afore  long,  sir." 

[Junks  had  the  mouth  and  nose  of  a  parrot,  and  he 
talked  like  a  parrot.] 

Major.  I  hope  so,  mate  ;  we  want  a  fair  wind ;  [after 
a  pause,]  how  do  you  like  the  life  ? 

Junks.  All'ers  liked  it,  sir.  Used  to  run  away  from 
home  and  mammy  to  go  to  sea,  before  I  was  twelve 
yearn  old. 

Major.   Did  you  get  off? 

Junks.  Once :  I  was  about  seven  years :  hid  myself 
board  a  ship  bound  out ;  mammy  came  and  caught  me  ; 
carried  me  back  kicking  and  sprawling.  I  didn  't 


58  F  A  C  A  . 

fairly  get  to  sea  till  I  was  eighteen  ;  then  went  a  whal- 
ing. 

Major.   What  luck? 

Junks.  Very  fair  ;  came  "back  fifteen  dollars  in  debt 
[Junks  laughed ;  a  pleasant  laugh  it  was ;  not  at  all 
like  a  parrot's.] 

Vunhs  [to  the  wheelsman.]  Keep  up,  Jack  !  keep  up ! 

[The  major  looked  at  the  wheelsman,  and  saw  that 
he  was  in  no  danger  of  falling  down.] 

Wheelsman,  keep  her  up. 

[Then  the  major  knew  that  Junks  meant  "  keep  the 
ship  up."] 

Major.   How  did  you  manage  to  become  a  mate  ? 

Junks.  Keepin'  clear  of  boarding-masters,  shipping- 
masters,  and  rum,  the  three  saiwors'  best  worst  friends : 
used  to  wike  rum  as  well  as  any  man  ;  but  found  that 
when  I  drank  I  kept  bad  company ;  wost  my  pay ; 
could  not  keep  in  with  my  officers  ;  could  n't  get  on  no 
how,  so  just  quit.  TTuiF  little,  Jack. 

Wheelsman.    Ay  yi,  sir :  luff  a  little. 

JunJcs.  I  went  under  Uncle  Sam  onct ;  [again  that 
pleasant  smile,]  yes,  jist  after  the  siege  of  Veery  Cruz  ; 
shipped  on  the  Preble,  (she  that 's  used  now  as  a  prac- 
tice-ship, and  goes  around  with  all  them  midshipmen  in 
summer.)  Well,  after  a  three-year's  cruize  ;  no,  it  was 
two  years  and  eight  months,  I  was  the  only  man  that 
escaped  a  flogging. 


BLUE  JACKETS  AND  BRIGHT  BUTTONS.  59 

Major.  I  dare  say  you  deserved  it.  Christopher ! 
dasli  a  straight-laced  soldier,  any  how  !  I  beg  pardon, 
mate ;  go  on. 

Junks  [smiling  good  humoredly  at  the  old  veteran.] 
The  officers  aboard  ship  used  to  think  so  too ;  thought 
I  got  off  too  well :  wanted  to  catch  me,  but  couldn  't. 

Major.  Zounds,  sir !  you  are  either  a  scamp  to  the 
nines,  or  tiptop  good  sailor ;  possibly  religious,  eh  ? 

Junks.  No,  sir ;  neither :  ain  't  neither  scamp  nor 
saint ;  'cos  why,  I  never  drinks,  and  both  o'  them  does. 

Major.   What's  that,  my  fellow  ? 

Junks.  Aw  I  mean  to  say  is,  those  who  make  out  to 
be  saints  bftfore  men  ain 't  aw  straight ;  they  either 
drink  or  steal. 

Major.   Christopher  !  you  talk  like  an  ass,  sir 

Junks.  Beg  pardon,  sir  ;  but  didn  't  you  say,  "  dash 
a  straight-traced  soldier  ? 

Major.   Yes,  sir,  but  — 

Junks.  Excuse  me,  sir,  [touching  his  hat,]  but  each 
man  sees  best  the  black  sheep  of  his  own  profession. 
Piety  put  on  afore  men  ain 't  the  thing,  I  guess,  nowhere. 
True  religion  is  like  true  merit,  ain 't  for  showing  off. 

Major.  Well,  well !  how  long  since  you  served  before 
the  mast  ? 

Junks.  Three  years.  First  time  shipped  as  mate, 
got  sick  enough  of  it.  When  it  came  on  to  the  dog- 
watch, that's  between  four  and  eight  in  the  evening, 


60  FACA. 

the  men  forward  used  to  be  sitting  round  on  the  fore- 
castle-deck, spinning  yarns  and  smoking  their  pipes  so- 
ciably, and  singing,  while  I  walked  here  on  the  poop 
deck  aw  alone,  nobody  to  talk  to ;  then  I  wished  myself 
back  among  'em. 

Major.   And  did  you  go  ? 

Junks.  Yes,  sir  ;  next  voyage  I  went  afore  the  mast, 
but  it  was  another  thing ;  I  had  learnt  to  see  the  dif- 
ference. 

Major.  How  did  you  treat  your  old  shipmates  after 
that?" 

Junks.  I  tried  to  treat  'em  kindly,  sir ;  but  you  can- 
not do  that ;  they  '11  all'ers  take  advantage  of  you. 

Now  I'm  what  the  sailors  call  a  "d d  rascal," 

among,  'em. 

Major.   I  thought  so. 

Junks  [blushing  and  smiling.]  I  'm  not  a  bad- 
hearted  man,  I  make  the  most  of  every  sailor  that 
tries  well ;  but  those  as  don 't  try,  and  won 't  try,  has  to 
keep  an  eye  to  the  wind  'ard  when  Harry  Junks  comes 
awong.  Dis  'pline  is  necessary  aboard  a  merchant-ship 
as  in  a  fort,  and  more.  If  you  want  your  men  to  mind 
in  a  gale  o'  wind,  you  must  make  'em  practice  mindin' 
in  a  calm,  or  you'll  wose  the  ship. 

Major.    Many  Americans  among  the  sailors  ? 

Junks.  Not  often,  sir.  They  generally  rise  to  be 
mates  and  masters.  They  are,  for  the  most  part,  Eng- 


BLUE  JACKETS  AND  BRIGHT  BUTTONS      61 

lish,  Irish,  Spanish,  Portuguese  and  Norwegians ;  next 
to  American  sai^<;or3>  think  the  Norwegians  are  best. 
You  don  't  sec  many  old  fashioned  saiwors  now  sir,  that  'a 
one  reason  why  Jack's  treated  badly.  An  emigrant 
conies  over  the  ocean,  pulls  away  with  the  sailors  on 
the  way  across,  and  if  he  can 't  get  anything  else,  the 
shipping-master  picks  him  up,  and  ships  a  raw  Paddy  as 
an  able-bodied  seaman. 

Major.  Then  you  think  your  profession  is  going  to 
Davy  Jones'  locker  ? 

Junks.   'Zactly,  sir. 

Major.  Zounds  !  and  so  is  mine,  mate,  politicians 
fill  up  all  the  vacancies,  and  leave  those  who  are  educat- 
ed for  the  business  to  tag  after  all  their  lives. 

"That's  a  fact,  sir  !"  said  Old  Sol,  coming  up  from 
the  cabin  and  joining  the  major  and  the  mate. 

"  Now  the  question  is,  is  the  military  profession  a 
profession  at  all,  or  a  block  for  tailors  to  put  cloth  and 
buttons  on  ?  It  is  thought  worth  while  for  the  tailor 
to  learn  his  trade,  the  judge  must  be  a  lawyer,  the  doc- 
tor take  his  degree.  The  man  who  clothes  you,  the  man 
who  decides  upon  your  property,  and  the  man  who  pre- 
scribes for  your  toothache,  must  know  his  calling,  but 
the  soldier  who  fights  for  you,  and  to  whom  you  confide 
the  lives  of  your  brothers,  husbands,  children  and  fathers 
in  battle,  is  a  sort  of  mushroom,  that  may  spring  up  in 
a  night." 


62  F  A  C  A  . 

"  I  should  caw  them  tailor's  blocks," 

"  Tailors  have  no  blocks,"  said  the  major,  who  could 
never  bear  to  hear  anything  abused." 

"  Then  milliner's  blocks,  if  you  please  sir,"  rejoined 
Junks ;  "  things  to  catch  silly  girls  with  gilt  and  show." 

"  Sir  ! "  said  Major  June,  austerely,  "  you  know 
nothing  concerning  it,  it  is  out  of  your  line." 

The  old  gentleman  went  below. 

Junks  laughed,  and  said  to  old  Sol,  "queer  old  chap 
that  ! " 

"  Aw  I  know  about  those  matters  is  what  might  hap- 
pen aboard  ship.  Put  a  man  in  as  master  or  mate 
before  he  'd  ever  wearnt  the  ropes,  and  the  saiwors  might 
not  think  him  a  'taiwors  block,'  nor  a  'milliner's 
block,'  but  they  'd  take  him  d  —  d  soon  for  a  block-head, 
ha  !  ha  !  " 

"  But  you  have  a  profession,"  replied  Old  Sol  gloomily. 

Old  Sol  meant  only  to  condemn  such  practices  as  that 
prevalent  in  the  Mexican  war,  of  appointing  gentlemen 
out  of  civil  employments,  with  perhaps  some  smattering 
of  militia,  not  military,  experience,  into  the  higher  com- 
missions, while  there  stood  by,  neglected,  hundreds  of 
gallant,  well-trained,  and  talented  officers.  "  It  was  no 
less  an  abuse  upon  the  country  than  an  outrage  on 
military  men,"  said  he. 

The  fact  is,  Mr.  Junks,  that  Congress  has  devised  two 
ways  for  providing  officers  for  the  army,  one  by  promo- 


BLUE  JACKETS  AND  BRIGHT  BUTTONS.     63 

tion  from  West  Point,  the  other  by  promoting  from  the 
ranks  —  one  scientific,  the  other  practical.  But  Pre- 
sidents and  War  Secretaries  have  sought  out  a  third 
device,  Mr.  Junks." 

Ay  yi,  that  is ?  " 

"  Political,0 —  a  nice  method  to  provide  for  nephews, 
and  to  kill  off  troublesome  friends,  and  to  buy  up  dan- 
gerous enemies,  and  to " 

There  is  no  telling  to  what  ridiculous  lengths  the 
irate  old  mouldering  lieutenant  might  have  gone,  but 
at  that  moment  a  violent  scream  pierced  through  night 
from  the  women's  quarters.  The  mate  and  Old  Sol 
hurried  below.  They  were  joined  by  Major  June  in 
demi-costume.  On  reaching  that  portion  of  the  ship 
assigned  to  the  married  people,  they  found  a  swarm  of 
soldiers  and  their  wives,  already  aroused,  and  filling  the 
middle  space  or  hall.  Near  the  door  of  the  room  where 
Sergeant  Trainor  lay  sick,  a  young  woman  had  fallen 
down,  pale  and  speechless.  It  was  Faca. 

The  tears  dropped  from  the  face  of  Old  Sol  as  he  car- 
ried the  beautiful  young  creature  to  her  state-room,  and 
admitting  no  one  except  her  mother  who  followed  fright- 
ened ;  he  closed  the  state-room  door,  and  went  after  the 
surgeon. 

0  Think  of  it,  reader,  a  civilian  nominated  to  the  TJ.  S.  Senate 
to  command  the  armies  in  Mexico,  over  Winfield  Scott. 


CHAPTER    X. 

LOVE    PASSAGES. 

Teach  not  thy  lips  such  scorn ;  for  it  was  made 
For  kissing,  lady. 

DHAKSPEARE. 

Both  Faca  and  William  knew  the  cause  of  Sergeant 
Trainor's  illness ;  Mrs.  Trainor  had  revealed  it. 

Amazed  and  deeply  injured  at  heart,  William  had  sat 
with  the  old  soldier  all  day,  and  same  night,  as  the  ser- 
geant seemed  not  very  sick,  the  young  man  was  forced, 
according  to  regulations,  to  retire  to  his  own  bunk,  at 
the  proper  hour. 

His  enemy  watched.  He  knew  that  Faca  was  by  the 
side  of  her  father,  and  that  she  must  ere  long  seek  her 
own  state-room.  Concealing  himself  in  the  far  end  of 
the  passage,  he  determined  to  accost  the  maiden  that 
night.  Faca  was  at  the  foot  of  the  stairway  when  he 
whispered —  • 

"Miss  Faca!" 

She  turned  and  shuddered. 

"  I  have  saved  you." 

"  You  have  broken  my  father's  heart,  Mr.  Bardolph." 

"  How  could   I  do  less  ?     Destruction   awaited  the 


LOVE      PASSAGES.  t>5 

fairest  of  creatures.  I  knew  that  young  corporal  was 
insinuating  himself  into  your  heart." 

"  You  have  slandered  him  sir,  I  know  you  have," 

"  I  would  murder  him  to  win  you,  angelic " 

"Monster!" 

"  Angel ! " 

"  Let  me  pass  sir  !  " 

"  A  kiss  then."  He  attempted  to  throw  his  arm 
around  her  waist  —  with  a  wild  scream  she  fled  back 
towards  her  father's  room,  at  the  door  of  which  she 
fell. 

What  violent  fools  bushy-bearded  men  are,  some- 
times ! 

00 


CHAPTER    XI. 

FISH    STOEIES— WHEREIN    CLINCHEE    CUTS   A 
FIGURE. 

DURING  the  day  following,  three  distinguished  sports- 
men made  their  appearance.  Shark,  grampus  and  sea- 
gull. The  grampus  belongs  to  the  royal  family,  the 
whales,  whose  pedigree  is  more  ancient  than  that  of 
English  lords.  The  whale  was  set  apart  for  royal  use 
by  the  common  law  of  England  —  as  everybody  knows, 
and  hence  called  the  "royal  fish."  The  head  was 
appropriated  to  the  kings  use,  and  the  tail  to  the'queen's. 
This  latter  was  accounted  for  by  one  learned  law  com- 
mentator, on  the  necessity  of  whalebone  for  her  majes- 
ty's petticoats.  But  a  later  commentator  upsets  the 
supposition  completely,  by  stating  that  whalebone  comes 
from  the  head  of  the  royal  fish  and  not  the  tail.  This, 
therefore,  remains  one  of  the  greatest  points  of  dispute 
in  the  legal  profession  — 

What  did  her  majesty  do  with  the  whale's  tail  ? 

On  casting  the  lead,  morning  and  evening,  it  was 
found  the  ship  was  drifting  towards  the  coast  of  Virginia ; 
the  weather  continued  warm  and  foggy. 

"  No  observation  of  the  sun  to-day,"  said  the  skipper, 
"  we  have  to  steer  by  the  blue  pigeon." 


FISH      STORIES.  67 

"  Pray  what 's  that,  captain  ?  "  inquired  one. 

"  The  lead  and  line,  sir." 

A  laugh  was  heard  among  the  troops.  The  officers 
looked,  and  saw  that  it  arose  over  the  antics  of  two 
funny,  pigs,  little  hlack  fellows,  always  playing  with 
the  men,  or  a  sociahle  Newfoundland  dog  helonging  to 
Captain  Handsallaround.  The  dog  was  of  their  own 
color  at  least ;  but  their  consorting  with  the  men  was 
inexcusable,  for  a,  pig  has  four  legs  and  a  man  but  two. 
Grant  that  man  has  five  faculties  to  the  pigs  four,  it 
leaves  an  odd  leg  to  account  for.  We  leave  the  ques- 
tion to  legal  men,  with  that  of  the  tail-royal. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  ! "  the  men  laughed  again. 

One  of  the  pigs  in  chasing  the  dog  "slipped  up"  on 
the  wet  deck,  and  rolled  down  to  the  leeward  side  of  the 
ship. 

"  Pigs  are  capital  scavengers,"  said  the  skipper,  "  and 
they  are  very  much  improved  by  sea  air  and  ship  diet. 
Nothing  so  sweet  as  their  meat  after  a  few  voyages. 
We  killed  one  on  our  last  run  from  Liverpool  that  had 
made  five  voyages  with  us,  and  I  never  tasted  anything 
so  sweet." 

"  Yes,"  growled  Clincher,  "  and  had  a  devil  of  a  gale 
too ;  we  always  do  when  we  kill  a  pig  at  sea ;  its  a  sure 
sign  of  a  storm." 

"  Ask  him  about  '  Braddock's  Pigs,'  "  said  the  skipper 
winking  towards  a  young  officer. 

"  Old  Bradclook  of  Essex  had  three  pigs."    said  the 


68  F  A  C  A  . 

mate,  quite  gravely  speaking,  "  he  put  them  in  three 
pens,  one  over  the  other,  and  fed  only  the  top  one.  They 
turned  out  the  fattest  pigs  in  the  county,  and  the  bottom 
one  was  the  fattest  of  the  three  ;  that's  a  fact." 

Clincher's  gravity,  and  look  of  wonder  and  credulity 
were  irresistible.  His  eyebrows  were  highly  arched, 
but  humor  lay  around  his  slouched  mouth,  and  what  he 
said,  his  eyes  seemed  to  believe,  while  his  mouth  flouted 
and  made  fun  of  it. 

The  fog,  now  driven  away  from  the  Aldebaran,  retired 
upon  the  horizon,  where  it  appeared  like  a  huge  sea-ser- 
pent devouring  distant  ships.  Sails  came  and  went 
amid  its  mighty  coil,  rising  up  and  going  down.  The 
sun,  shining  out  but  too  brightly,  drove  a  couple  of 
young  officers  into  the  cabin's  shade :  they  had  been 
listening  to  Clincher's  whale  stories. 

"  He  vows,"  said  one,  "  that  he  has  a  whale-hook 
now,  with  which  he  has  taken  many  a  great  whale." 

"  A  whale-hook,  sir  ?"  cried  Major  June. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  youngster,  Lieutenant  Swallow, 
a  simple  fellow  by  nature,  and  unspoilt  by  education  at 
'  the  Point.'  "  Don 't  you  believe  it  ?  he  swore  to  it 
roundly." 

"And  then  he  told  us,"  said  another  officer,  "that 
a  wnale  struck  the  ship  this  morning." 

"Yes,"  said  Swallow,  "and  the  man  at  the  wheel 
said  he  felt  the  jolt ;  I  heard  that" 

"  And  that  he  was  on  board  a  ship  once  which  cap- 


PISH      STORIES.  69 

tured  two  whales,  off  Hatteras,  and  towed  the  animals 
into  New  York,  both  bigger  than  the  ship  herself.  One 
grounded  off  Sandy  Hook,  and  was  wrecked." 

"  Christopher  !  that 's  capital ! "  laughed  Major  June, 
rubbing  his  hands. 

"  And  the  other,"  resumed  the  Lieutenant,  "  was 
towed  into  the  harbor,  and  afterwards  used  as  a  dredge- 
boat." 

"  Golly ! "  exclaimed  young  Swallow,  very  much 
excited.  "  I  wonder  if  that 's  the  one  we  saw  ?  0  ! 
I  don  'i  believe  that  story  ! " 

"Did  he  tell  you  of  Braddock's  fishing  excursion?" 
inquired  Captain  Handsallaround. 

"  No  sir." 

"  One  day,"  he  says,  "  Braddock  and  anotner  old  cove, 
a  churn  of  his,  went  a  fishing  ;  on  coming  back  home  at 
night,  they  hung  up  their  lines  to  dry  from  the  front  of 
the  house.  The  hooks  hung  nearly  to  the  ground  ;  there 
were  twenty  five  of  them.  On  turning  out  next  morning, 
what  do  you  think  Braddock  found  ?  "  Here  the  captain 
began  to  arch  his  eyebrows  and  slouch  his  mouth  in 
mimicry  of  Clincher,  "  why  there  was  a  cat  caught  on 
every  hook,  and  one  hook  had  a  cat  and  a  young  kitten 
besides!" 

It  was  as  if  a  bomb-shell  had  burst  in  the  cabin,  it 
was  cleared  of  occupants  in  a  moment,  except  those  who 
fell  from  their  chairs  unable  to  rush  on  deck. 


70  F  A  C  A  . 

Next  time  Clincher  appeared  on  the  quarter-deck, 
Swallow  and  his  friend  accosted  him  again. 

Swallow.   Who  is  Braddock,  mate  ? 

Clincher.  He  came  from  Hartford,  and  lived  in  Essex. 
He  was  a  sail  maker.  I  've  known  him  ever  since  I 
was  knee-high  to  a  chaw  of  tohacco.  We  hoys  always 
called  him  "  Old  Hooks ; "  nothing  made  him  madder, 
because  it  twitted  on  facts,  His  fingers  and  toes  were 
hooked  up  like  harvest  sickles,  and  he  always  went  bare- 
footed, summer  and  winter. 

One  day  he  was  standing  on  the  wharf  chawing  to- 
bacco till  the  streams  ran  down  both  sides  of  his  mouth, 
and  he  couldn  't  talk  plain  from  it,  and  a  passenger  on 
a  steam  boat  asked  "  how  his  fingers  came  so  crooked  ?  " 

"  TFbping  sails,"  says  he  wiping  his  mouth. 

"  Well,"  said  the  stranger,  "  do  you  rope  sails  with 
your  feet  too  ?  Old  Hooks  shook  his  fist  at  the  stranger, 
and  the  boys  on  the  dock  laughed,  and  this  made  him 
perfectly  raving. 

Swalloiv.   Is  he  a  living  character  now  ? 

Clincher.  Yes,  livin'  and  pious  —  never  brags  either. 
He  goes  to  prayer-meeting  and  prays  like  Goliah  of 
Gath.  There  's  something  in  scripture  about  the  roar- 
ing lion,  ain  't  there  ? 

Swallow.   Yes. 

Clincher.  Hooks  called  him  the  woarin'  pig  that  went 
about  /eeking  to  bite  somebody.  But  the  way  he  caught 
them  geese  was  a  caution. 


FISH      STORIES.  71 

Swallow.   How  was  that  ? 

Clincher.   Perhaps  you  won 't  believe  it." 

Swallow's  Friend.   0  !   yes  we  will,  of  course. 

Clincher.  Well,  you  see,  they  had  been  shot  at  so 
much  they  were  too  wild  for  Braddock  to  come  nigh 
'nough  to  git  a  shot,  so  he  took  a  hundred-fathom  line 
and  triced  it  round  an  eel  amidships.  The  geese  were 
all  squatting  out  on  a  sand-bar,  and  swimming  round 
near  it.  The  eel  swam  out  there  in  the  course  of  the 
morning,  and  first  one  goose  swallowed  it,  and  then 
another,  till  the  whole  flock  were  strung  on  the  line. 
The  eel  toggled  in  the  last  goose,  and  Old  Hooks  drew 
in  five  hundred  and  twenty-three  wild-geese  at  one 
haul." 

Keep  her  up  Jack  I 

The  man  at  the  wheel  had  colapsed. 

Clincher  always  looked  the  personification  of  simple 
truth.  He  never  laughed,  and  seemed  quite  hurt  at  any 
sign  of  suspicion  concerning  his  veracity.  It  was  not 
till  the  very  best  of  a  knotty  yarn,  that  you  could  detect 
the  slightest  sign  of  inward  delight.  Even  then,  the 
least  possible  curl  in  one  corner  of  his  crooked  mouth,  a 
minute  sparkle  of  laughing  light  in  his  eye,  was  all. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A    NEW     ALLY. 

OLD  SOL'S  prejudices  against  the  softer,  weaker  vessel 
of  humanity  was  inveterate.  He  had  sworn  on  the 
bible  not  to  marry,  and  had  harangued  every  young 
graduate  on  the  folly  of  "  marrying  in  the  army." 

"  Dancing  and  flirting  at  home  in  civilization  with 
the  bright  bright  buttons,  is  one  thing,"  said  Old  Sol, 
oftentimes,  "  but  love  in  a  case-mate,  or  love  in  a  tent, 
is  another."  And  he  frequently  wound  up  his  discourse 
with  the  emphatic  remark,  "Besides  all  women  are 
fools!" 

But  Old  Sol  was  determined  on  investigating  the 
cause  of  Faca's  scream. 

With  maidenly  pride,  Faca  refused  to  betray  her 
affairs. 

"  But,"  remonstrated  her  father,  "  the  lieutenant  be- 
longs to  our  regiment ;  he  is  an  old  friend,  that  is,  he 
never  put  me  in  the  guard-house  for  persuading  a  man." 
"  Persuading  a  man,"  meant  knocking  him  down,  in 
the  old  sergeant's  vocabulary.  Soldiers  are  mere  chil- 
dren in  the  hands  of  their  officers  ;  but  soldiers'  children 


A      NEW      ALLY.  73 

are  the  most  independent  of  little  folks,  and  Faca  re- 
fused to  tell. 

Mr.  Bardolph  soon  saw  that  neither  Old  Sol  nor  Faca's 
parents  knew  cf  his  behavior  that  night.  This  made 
the  bushy-bearded  man  rejoice  again.  Confident  in  her 
discretion,  he  resolved  to  make  the  most  of  it.  Neither 
officer  of  the  day  nor  sergeant  of  the  guard  inspected 
at  night  that  part  of  the  ship  in  which  the  band  and 
married  people  were  quartered. 

The  lantern  was  burning  dimly  in  the  middle  of  the 
dark  passage :  like  a  beast  of  prey,  he  lay  in  wait  for 
his  victim,  after  the  "  taps "  had  bcatten  sounding  all 
to  bed. 

Old  Constanza  always  retired  early,  and  it  was  Faca'a 
habit  to  sit  with  her  parents  at  night  until  they  sought 
their  beds,  when  she  ascended  to  her  state  room. 

Old  Sol,  with  unselfish  passion,  stood  guard  at  the 
head  of  the  stairway,  i.  e.,  he  sat  there,  looking  at  the 
stars,  smoking  his  cigar,  and  listening  for  sounds  below. 
It  was  ten  o'clock,  four  bells  had  just  struck,  when  Old 
Sol  caught  sound  of  a  light  footstep,  the  quick  tread  of 
a  man,  a  slight  scream,  the  slam  of  a  door.  Down 
sprang  the  gallant  lieutenant.  In  the  passage  he  seized 
a  man  attempting  to  tear  by  him.  He  dragged  him  to 
the  dim  light  of  the  lantern.  It  was  George  the 
mutineer  ! 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

BURNT    POKER    PORTRAITS. 

Orpheus'  lute  was  strung  with  poet's  sinews. 

SHAKSPEARE. 

BENEATH  the  shadow  of  the  spanker  sat  three  musi- 
cians next  morning  —  two  violins  and  a  trombone. 
Hark  to  the  waltz !  German  soldiers  on  deck  are  at 
once  in  lively  motion.  Now  it  is  a  jig.  Jack  dances  a 
hornpipe,  and  every  soul  aboard  the  Aldebaran  gives 
token  of  life  and  animation.  Men  sea-sick  yesterday 
are  dancing  to-day. 

The  band-master  yonder  has  furnished  this  musical 
treat,  but  he  is  too  proud  to  take  part  with  the  compar- 
atively raw  musicians,  part  of  the  band  recruited  for  an 
infantry  regiment,  and  on  their  way  out  "  to  join,"  it  is 
beneath  his  dignity.  A  bandmaster's  "  position "  is 
equivocal ;  his  education,  and  frequently  his  associations 
with  superior  people  in  former  days,  —  possibly  your 
bandmaster  may  have  been  a  nobleman,  —  render  the 
company  of  common  soldiers,  even  if  musicians,  disa- 
greeable ;  and  yet  his  present  rank  precludes  him  from 
the  society  of  officers,  for  distance,  you  know,  is  the  soul 


BURNT      POKER      PORTRAITS.  75 

of  discipline.  There  this  gentleman  stands,  looking 
over  the  bulwarks,  with  his  arms  folded,  a  musical  Na- 
poleon from  his  St.  Helena  looking  on  the  sea. 

"  There  are  various  degrees  of  pride,"  said  Old  Sol, 
philosophically,  to  the  skipper.  "  There  was  Mrs.  Portfire, 
the  ordnance-ssrgeant's  wife  at  Fort  Knox  ;  as  her 
husband  ranked  above  the  other  sergeants,  she  drew 
herself  up  above  their  wives.  Indeed  it  was  only  ty 
the  greatest  effort  of  complaisance,  that  she  could  per- 
suade herself  to  be  civil  even  to  the  officers'  wives. 
And,  sir,  such  was  the  sense  of  her  self-importance,  that 
she  could  not  sell  eggs  to  the  ladies  of  the  garrison 
without  demanding  thrice  their  value  !  In  a  word  she, 
stood  isolated,  like  the  bandmaster  yonder. 

"  Next  in  official  grade  to  the  bandmaster  is  Sergeant 
Trumpet,  the  acting  sergeant-major.  .While  strutting 
about  among  the  men,  he  preserves  always  that  stately 
reserve  peculiar  to  half-way  greatness.  He  is  called 
"  Old  Trump,"  by  the  men. 

Then  there  is  the  soldierly  old  Sergeant  Trainor ; 
you  wouldn  Jt  suspect  his  age  from  his  looks,  who 
carries  about  with  him  the  quiet  watchfulness  of  an  old 
house-dog." 

"  Just  like  many  an  honest  old  sailor,  regular-built 
and  thorough-bred,"  said  the  skipper. 

"That  big  dragoon  with  a  bold  front,  is  Sergeant 
Bootlick.  It  is  thought  that  he  is  the  devil  among  the 


76  FACA. 

girls ;  that  is  the  "best  thing  about  the  man,  for  he  is 
the  most  overhearing  of  tyrants  among  the  hoys.  Yet, 
with  all  his  devil-may-care  look,  let  him  catch  the  eye 
of  an  officer,  how  obsequious  !  how  officious  !  how  whim- 
pering and  ready  !  A  ship 's  a  good  stage  on  which  to 
view  human  nature  played  as  a  farce,  captain.  It's  as 
good  as  a  play,  to  view  the  same  characters  thrown  so 
clearly  under  your  eye  in  different  circumstances  of 
power  and  dependence  ;  yet  the  worst  to  show  off  their 
nobler  qualities.  You  should  see  them  in  the  field. 

"  Here  comes  the  sergeant,  O'Connor,  who  presides 
over  the  regions  below,  where  the  provisions  are  laid  out 
for  daily  use.  He  deals  out "  rations  in  bulk  "  to  the  cook's 
corporal  ;  there  are  so  many  men  to  be  fed  they  require 
a  corporal  to  make  it  his  business.  Sergeant  O'Connor 
delights  in  a  business-like  bustling  manner,  never  so  con- 
sequential ;  now  holding  a  memorandum  book  and  pen- 
cil in  hand,  and  now  wielding  a  hatchet  or  tap-borer,  as 
if  triumphantly  elate  in  what  constitutes  the  happiness 
of  the  troops  —  their  grub.  Had  we  a  legion  of  honor, 
O'Connor  would  now  be  wearing  his  star  for  gallant 
conduct  at  Contrcras. 

"  The  cook's  corporal,  O'Rourke,  may  be  seen  forward 
there,  insensible  to  the  charms  of  violin  and  trombone, 
intent  on  his  own  musical  department,  the  galley. 

1  There  's  music  in  the  female  voice; 
There  's  music  in  the  lyre  ; 


BURNT      POKER      PORTRAITS.  77 

There  's  music  in  the  coffee-pot 
A  boiling  on  the  fire.' 

"  He  deserted  the  flesh-pots,  however  at  Buena  Vista, 
and  fought  like  a  devil. 

"  The  corporal's  four  cooks  delight  in  their  greasy, 
Mack,  grimy  aspect,  and  set  police  regulations  at  open 
defiance  as  to  personal  appearance.  But  that  corporal 
is  fascinating ;  he  is  a  tall  person,  and  has  a  mouth 
with  a  continual  smack  on  it,  as  if  always  employed 
tasting  the  men's  bean-soup.  He  overlooks  the  cooks 
at  their  labors,  as  they  wind  around  each  other  and  dis- 
appear in  the  steam  of  the  kettles,  very  much  as  a  tall 
crane  might  regard  a  nest  of  eels  on  some  misty  morn- 
ing ;  the  men  call  him  '  Forks.' 

"  Other  non-commissioned  officers  of  the  command  are 
chiefly  distinguishable  for  their  voices,  bass,  tenor,  con- 
tralto, falsetto ;  and  variously  suggestive  of  big  manli- 
ness or  young  boyishness,  and  rank,  and  consequence. 
The  little  brisk  Irish  corporal,  with  a  fiery  red  head, 
has  an  abominable  squeak.  Yon  tall  dragoon,  a  thun- 
dering cannon  ;  he  was  in  May's  charge." 

Old  Sol  was  now  called  oif  on  duty.  But  with  our 
reader's  consent  we  will  take  his  place  at  the  skipper's 
elbow  and  the  reader's  ear. 

The  music  ceases.  Certain  of  the  non-commissioned 
officers  fly  about  forming  the  ranks ;  others  are  driving 
the  men  down  below  for  drill,  or  some  other  dire  pur- 


78  FACA. 

pose,  and  those  below  are  bellowing  the  soldier?  up 
above. 

It  is  laughable  to  see  them  now,  swaying  to  and  fro, 
and  keeping  their  legs  as  best  they  can,  as  the  rolls 
are  calling,  and  the  ship  begins  to  feel  the  rocking  mo- 
tion of  some  long  swell  that  comes  from  heaven  knows 
where  !  the  last  wreck,  perhaps. 

As  for  the  sailors,  they  revel  in  mischief:  they  take 
pains  to  let  slip  the  soldiers'  clothing,  across  the  ropes 
to  dry.  One  tarry  imp  with  a  skull-cap,  a  skin-tight 
shirt,  and  patches  sewed  to  his  legs  for  breeches,  while 
swinging  between  the  masts  and  balanced  by  a  tar- 
bucket,  very  innocently  lets  fall  a  rope,  or  splash  of  tar 
on  the  head  of  a  strutting  sentinel,  or  some  other 
drowsy  unexpectant.  The  mustachiod  dragoon  feels  the 
adhesive  black  coloring  matter  on  his  mustache,  and 
looks  up  fiercely  and  swears.  Now  one  catches  the 
grinny  stain  upon  his  cheek,  and  shoots  off  to  the  officer 
of  the  day  amid  the  jeers  of  comrades. 

Yonder  is  Old  Jack :  that  is  the  only  name  he  bears, 
the  only  one  he  knows  himself  by.  An  antique,  broad 
shouldered  waddling  little  sailor  is  he,  of  the  old  school ; 
faithful,  busy,  with  a  responsible  look ;  he  is  a  sort  of 
boatswain,  self-constituted. 

And  there  is  he  of  the  voice, —  leader  of  choral  per- 
formances, at  the  ropes. 


BURNT      POKER      PORTRAITS.  79 

"  Haul  taut  the  weather-brace  ! "  sings  out  the  mate. 

"  Haul  taut  weather-brace ! "  echoes  Old  Jack. 

Soldiers  and  sailors  seize  hold,  and  he  of  the  mighty 
voice  begins : 

"He  ho!" 

«0hi!" 

"0!  belly  be  loo!" 

"  0  he  ! ! " 

"  Ugh  ! ! ! " 

«Yo-ho-he-ho!!!!" 

"  Belay  ! "  cries  the  mate,  and  he  of  the  mighty  voice 
dies  down  to  an  ordinary  mortal. 

Now  the  ship's-carpcnter  appears  with  his  arms  full 
of  dull  and  rusty  tools :  this  man  has  a  "  speciality." 
His  beard,  it  is  immense  —  patriarchal ;  his  look  is  pe- 
culiarly grave  and  melancholy,  and  his  name  is  Harry 
Joints.  He  may  be  summed  up  in  a  song  composed  by 
Corporal  Marshal,  as  it  was  sung  touchingly  to  Faca's 
graudmama : 

THE  SHIP'S  CARPENTER. 

"  Harry  Joints,  Harry  Joints,  a  brave  old  man, 

The  ship's  carpenter  is  he  ; 
His  beard  hangs  down  a  cubit  and  a  span, 

And  grey  as  a  beard  may  be. 
And  Harry  works  away  from  morn  till  night,  — 

A  busy  old  tar  is  he  ; 
lie  hammers  and  saws,  and  makes  all  tight 

On  the  lone  ship  out  at  sea. 


80  F  A  C  A . 

« '  Harry  Joints,  0  why  do'st  thou  go  to  sea  ? 

No  wife  nor  children  to  leave ! 
Are  there  none  at  home  that  care  for  thee  ;  — 

Thy  drowning,  would  no  one  grieve  ? 
He  brushes  away  with  his  sleeve  a  tear, 

And  doffs  his  torn  hat  full  low  :  — 
"  I  love  my  home,  but  my  messmates  are  here, 
And  I  'm  fain  with  them  go. 

"  The  old  woman  lives  in  a  garden  green, 

Where  our  cottage  stands  i'  the  trees, 
And  two  of  our  children  abroad  may  be  seen, 

And  two  playing  round  her  knees  ; 
But,  though  Harry  loves  them  all,  there 's  ONB 

That  sleeps  in  the  grass  below, 
And  I  miss  her,  when  I  go  home  —  that  ono  — 

I  fly,  and  to  sea  I  go ! " 

A  score  of  music-boys,  drummers  and  fifers,  are  the 
most  unconscionable  little  ragamuffin  scamps  aboard  the 
ship ;  they  are  always  laughing  at  everything ;  play 
tricks  upon  soldier  and  sailor  ;  seize  hold  on  every  rope 
that  is  to  be  pulled,  and  bawl  lustily  in  sea  phrase ;  roll 
around  with  huge  chaws  of  tobacco,  and  spit  with  ex- 
treme difficulty  over  the  tall  bulwarks  :  they  wake  the 
ship's  people  in  the  morning  with  their  shrill  fifes  and 
noisy  drums,  that 

"  Rattle  the  welkin's  ear, 
And  mock  the  deep-mouth'd  thunder." 


BURNT      POKER      PORTRAITS.  81 

The  guards  are  mounted  to  their  merry  music  ;  they 
beat  the  sick-call,  when  pale  men  troop  with  long  com- 
plaints to  the  surgeon,  mostly  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
off  drill ;  —  they  beat  the  men  to  their  meals,  they  beat 
them  to  bed,  and  beat  out  the  lights. 

Behold  a  trio  of  them  now,  pulling  at  a  long  piece 
of  twine.  A  man  is  heard  yelling  down  below ;  the 
rascals  had  caught  him  asleep,  and  fastened  the  string 
to  his  great  toe  !  But  hark  !  a  round  full  voice  pealed 
forth  from  the  midst  of  that  group  of  soldiers  near  the 
mainmast.  Listen  to  the  bong  of 

THE    FIFE    AND  DRUM. 

"  I  have  heard  the  swelling  organ 

In  cathedrals  dim  and  hoary, 
At  the  funeral  and  bridal, 

Pealing  forth  its  solemn  story; 
'T  is  a  grand  old  monkish  music, 

Incense  floating  through  the  air  ; 
'Tis  a  twilight,  mellow  metre, — 

!T  is  the  symphony  of  prayer. 

On  the  green  old  Gaudalquiver, 

Once  I  heard  the  light  guitar  ; 
As  we  glided  down  the  river, 

So  it  glided  on  the  air: 
In  the  wine-yard  and  the  castle. 

Young  Love  reeled  with  mirth  around, 


82  FAG  A. 

And  the  castanet  clicked  with  it;  — 
'T  is  the  Troubador  of  sound. 

"  In  the  Ehineland  once  I  wandered, 

Youth  alive  to  every  feeling ; 
There  an  old  white-haired  musician 

By  his  daughter's  grave  was  kneeling, 
And  his  violin  was  uttering, 

Language  words  may  ne  'er  impart ; 
And  I  wept  — I  knew  the  fiddle 

Was  the  music  of  the  heart. 

' '  But  I  've  heard  upon  the  mountain, 

In  the  ravine  —  o'er  the  plain, 
Sounds  that  quicken'd  every  fountain 

Of  the  soul  to  life  again : 
Glory  !   glory  !   pealed  forth  thro'  them, 

Like  a  mighty  army's  hum, 
Marching  on  to  fame  and  conquest, 

;T  was  the  glorious  fife  and  drum ! 

"  Hear  our  father's  voices  reaching 

From  the  battlements  on  high, 
In  sweet  thrilling  marches  teaching 

Thunder  tones  of  victory ! 
Freedom,  peace,  — the  prize  of  winning — 

With  their  martial  music  come,  — 
LIBERTY,  the  maid  of  heaven, 

Sounds  the  glorious  FIFE  AND  DKUM  ! " 

The  inevitable  fog  still  persecuted  the  ship,  —  a  sort 
of  city  of  London  at  sea,  —  the  sun  shone  through  it 
like  the  light  of  a  dead  maiden's  eye. 


BURNT      POKER     PORTRAITS.  83 

The  murky  gloom  grew  yellowish  towards  evening. 
All  at  once  down  fell  the  sun  in  the  West,  like  an 
orange  among  yellow  lilies,  which  closes  their  soft 
petals,  and  night  came  on,  confounding  everything,  — 
even  fogs  confounding. 


OHAPTEE    XIV. 

HEAVEN    AND    HELL. 

BY  the  fifth  day  at  sea  men  have  commonly  run  out 
their  reels  of  knowledge.  Having  told  all  they  know, 
they  hegin  to  tell  what  they  helievc,  whence  comes  con- 
troversy ;  the  next  and  last  step  thereafter  is  puns  — 
say  the  sixth  or  seventh  day  ;  this  was  the  fifth  day, 
and  the  point  at  issue  was  Unitarianism.  Old  Sol 
was  a  warm  Unitarian. 

"  Christopher,  sir ! "  ejaculated  the  major,  "  Unitarian- 
ism  is  Mahometanism  —  only  without  Mahomet ;  the 
play  of  Hamlet  with  the  part  of  Hamlet  left  out ;  in 
short,  emphatically,  sir,  it  is  Christianity  without  the 
God  Christ!" 

"  I  don 't  know  much  about  theology,"  said  Captain 
Handsallaround,  "  hut  if  a  man  will  only  act  up  to 
what  he  believes,  he'll  go  right  straight  to  heaven,  and 
no  one  will  ask  him  a  question  on  the  road.  That 's  my 
creed." 

"  We  '11  all  git  to  heaven,"  remarked  Clincher,  twist- 
ing his  mouth  and  eyes,  "  but  our  standing  will  be  dif- 
ferent. It's  just  like  the  sailing  of  Old  Braddock's 
sloop.  He  called  her  "  the  Toad  ; "  she  was  nothing  but 


HEAVEN      AND      IIELL.  85 

an  old  mud-scow.  But  he  couldn  't  bear  to  hear  any 
one  brag,  and  when  they  got  to  disputing  about  the 
sailing  qualities  of  the  coasters  and  clippers,  he  'd  cut 
'em  short  saying 

"  The  Twoad,  she  sails  !" 

"  All  vessels  sail,  but  some  are  slower  than  others,  and 
some  nover  reach  port.  We'll  all  go  to  heaven,  but  I 
reckon  some  on  us  '11  never  git  there  ;  and  when  I  hear 
people  crackin'  up  their  own  creeds  I  always  say  to  my- 
self, '  The  Twoad  die  sails  ! '  " 

"  Men's  ideas  of  celestial  happiness  differ  widely, 
said  Old  Sol ;  "  women  remind  some  people  of  that  place," 
he  added  sarcastically,  "  and  I  've  no  doubt  the  soldiers 
thought  of  heavenly  bliss  to-day,  because  they  had  pick- 
led onions  for  dinner.  It  was  the  first  time,  and  they  're 
starved  at  Governor's  Island." 

"  I  Ve  no  doubt  they  were  strongly  reminded  of  the 
'  other  place,' "  said  the  officer  of  the  day.  "  I  had  the  be- 
twccn-decks  fumigated  with  sulphur." 

"  Speaking  of  the  world  to  come,  gentlemen,  "  said 
the  major,  "  have  you  read  a  capital  communication  on 
this  subject  to  the  '  Christian  Observer,'  and  extensively 
copied  ?  I  saw  it  in  '  Littell.'  It  is  sharp  and  cuts  off 
common  delusions  as  with  a  knife.  °  You  will  find,  gen- 
tlemen, that  unbelievers  are  led  into  their  unbelief  more 
through  the  common  errors  of 

0  The  major  referred  to  an  able  article  entitled,    "Christian 
Prospects  of  the  World  to  Come."    It  was  signed  "  T.  D.  B." 
8 


86  FACA. 

The  major  stopped  to  look  around  him,  and  saw  that 
his  auditors  had  decamped,  all  save  the  conscientious 
Swallow,  and  that  a  little  way  off  stood  Junks,  ready  to 
die  laughing.  The  jocund,  whimsical  old  soldier  was 
the  source  of  continual  merriment  with  Junks. 

"  Let 's  inspect  below,"  said  the  major,  blushingly. 

The  bedding  was  nicely  folded  in  the  bunks,  each 
man's  knapsack  at  the  head  of  his  sleeping  place. 

One  soldier  complained  of  a  bunk-mate,  who  would 
sleep  across  the  bunk,  thereby  resting  his  weight  on  the 
other  three  ;  to  tell  the  sad  truth,  they  were  packed  in 
so  closely,  as  if  by  mathematical  calculation,  that  there 
was  not  spare  room  enough  for  a  fellow  to  stretch  him- 
self. A  gape  created  a  pressure  felt  throughout  the 
ship,  while  a  full  yawn  threw  a  hundred  into  as  much 
pain  as  if  their  ribs  were  punched  with  Clincher's  brass 
knuckles.  But  the  guard-house,  or  calaboose,  that  was 
the  pleasant,  airy,  comfortable  place  !  the  prisoners 
were  packed  away  in  it,  standing,  and  thus  saved  the 
trouble  of  sitting,  or  lying  down,  or  any  other  change 
of  position  in  the  warm  weather.  Six  filled  up  the 
calaboose  full,  so  that  by  the  aid  of  a  handspike  or  two, 
you  might  possibly  close  the  door. 

Strange  to  say,  the  offenders  preferred  to  "  catch  "  their 
"hell"  outside,  and  be  strung  up  to  the  rigging.  As 
the  "parson"  was  the  most  common  occupant  of  the 
prison  it  was  called  the  '  Parson's  Desk." 


HEAVEN      AND      HELL.  87 

"Fast  we  found,  fast  shut, 
The  dismal  gates,  barricadoed  strong  ; 
But  long  'ere  our  approaching,  heard  within, 
Noise  other  than  the  sound  of  dance  or  song, 
Torment,  and  loud  lament,  and  furious  rage. 

"  Soldiers  who  go  down  in  ships  see  the  wonders  of 
the  Lord,"  quoth  Clincher,  "  but  they  sometimes  catch  " — 
"  Lillibulero  ! "  whistled  the  major. 


OHAPTEE    XV. 

MASTER    BARDOLPH. 

Give  Master  Bardolph  some  wine,  Davy. 

SHAK.ESPEAKE.    . 

INTO  the  calaboose  was  William  Marshall  driven, 
through  the  machinations  of  Mr.  Bardolph,  who  reported 
to  Old  Sol  that  it  was  the  corporal  who  was  prowling 
about  the  passage  below  after  taps,  and  caused  by  his 
violence  towards  Faca  her  fright  and  consequent  syn- 
cope. 

As  for  George  the  mutineer  he  either  was,  or  feigned 
to  be,  crazy,  and  it  was  now  supposed  by  the  officers  that 
he  had  taken  advantage  of  the  accidental  neglect  of 
the  mate,  to  bar  the  door  of  the  dispensary  on  a  sick 
and  fettered  man,  had  made  his  escape,  and  was  wan- 
dering about  the  ship,  purposeless,  when  Old  Sol  came 
in  contact  with  him. 

Possibly  it  was  the  sight  of  this  man  that  had  fright- 
ened poor  Faca  last  night  again.  Bardolph  knew  best. 

Many  of  the  soldiers,  and  among  them  were  married 
men,  whose  thoughts  and  superstitions  were  shared  by 
their  families,  believed  George  to  be  dead,  and  that  it 


FACA.  89 

was  his  ghost  that  haunted  the  ship,  and  frightened  Faca 
Trainor  out  of  her  seven  senses. 

This  opinion  Mr.  Bardolph  took  care  to  foster  among 
the  men  ;  although  he  made  no  such  attempt  upon  the 
good  sense  of  the  officers  ;  he  told  Sergeant  Trainor  that 
Corporal  Marshal  was  confined  for  drunkenness. 

Poor  Faca  !  she  had  not  surrendered  her  little  heart 
to  William,  but  she  was  fast  driving  towards  that  rock 
on  which  so  many  women,  stronger  and  wiser  than  she, 
have  split,  an  imprudent  love  ;  she  did  not  believe  Mr. 
Bardolph's  first  story  ;  she  scorned  to  believe  the  last. 

"  William  would  not,  for  my  sake,"  she  said,  hiding 
her  face,  hot  with  blushes,  in  her  mother's  lap. 

How  often  it  is,  that  woman,  the  most  simple,  the 
most  credulous  of  creatures,  is  a  stout  unbeliever  of 
wrong  !  And  when  man,  wise  in  his  reason  and  ex- 
perience, flies  wild  astray,  she,  guided  only  by  her 
womanly  instinct,  moves  steadily  onward  in  the  path  of 
right,  and  triumphs  at  last  in  the  glorious  certainty  of 
truth. 

Faca  would  not  believe  William  a  tippler  or  a  drunk- 
ard, simply  because  she  did  not,  and  did  not,  because  she 
would  not. 

William  sent  a  request  that  he  might  speak  with  Old 
Sol,  but  was  sternly  refused.  He  did  not  venture  then 
to  ask  for  an  interview  with  the  Trainors. 

Mr.  Bardolph  had  poisoned  the  ears  of  everybody, 
save  one  little  woman.  0~ 


90  F  A  C  A . 

Mr.  Bardolph  -determined  to  strike  while  the  iron  was 
hot ;  he  applied  to  Sergeant  Trainor  for  the  hand  of 
Faca. 

"  He  has  saved  our  daughter  from  marrying  a  drunk- 
ard," said  the  sergeant,  in  a  sad  consultation  over  tho 
matter  with  his  wife. 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "hut " 

"  But  what,  old  woman  ?  " 

"Mr.  Bardolph " 

"  Nonsense  !  he 's  a  gentleman  ;  see  what  interest  he 
takes  in ,  our  welfare  ;  see  how  polite ;  a  drum-major 
too!" 

«  Yes,  hut » 

"  But  what  ?  a  woman  s  reason  lies  in  a  ""but,"  or  an 
"  if,"  or  "  perhaps,"  or  if  she  wants  to  triumph  in  any 
event  she  says,  "  may  he  so ;  you  '11  see." 

"  Now,  what  on  earth  is  the  objection  to  Mr.  Bardolph/ 
old  woman  ?  " 

"  Nothing  under  the  sun  as  I  can  see.  Better  make 
hay  for  Faca  while  the  sun  shines,  I  guess,  and  her 
beautiful  mother  in  heaven,"  Mrs.  Trainor  lowered  her 
voice  —  "would  have  her  live  always  with  people  of  our 
own  sort ;  but " 

"  There  it  is  again,  '  but ' " 

"  Well  I  don 't  like  him,  and  I  don 't  want  Faca  to 
marry  anybody  now.  A  father  always  thinks  the  first 
thing  to  be  done  with  a  daughter  is  to  get  decently  rid 


HEAVEN      AND      HELL.  91 

of  her,  but  a  mother  clings  on  to  her ;  there,  that 's 
all  about  it,  Sergeant  Trainor." 

"  General  Jackson  !  old  woman,  she  shall  marry  him 
this "  -v- 

Mrs.  Trainor  stopped  up  her  husband's  mouth  with 
her  hand,  and  then  burst  into  tears. 

"  There  ! "  exclaimed  the  wrathy  sergeant,  "  she  has 
the  best  of  it  now.  When  " but"  and  "  if"  and  every- 
thing else  won 't  do  it,  tears  will" 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

OLD  SOL  RELAXES  INTO  A  SMILE  FEMININE. 

"  You  tell  me  sergeant "  said  Old  Sol  to  Trainor, 
"that  the  fair  Miss  Faca  positively  refuses  that  tall, 
well-looking  drum-major,  with  such  good  pay  and  a  fine 
uniform  ?  " 

"  Yes  Lieutenant,  flat-footed  as  a  little  goose." 

"  And  that  you  shrewdly  suspect  that  her  heart  is  in- 
clining rapidly  towards  that  worthless  young  corporal." 

"  Yes  lieutenant,  very  fast." 

"  Not  gone  yet  ?  " 

"  The  old  woman  thinks  not,  lieutenant." 

"  Sergeant,  such  a  fine,  sweet,  well-educated  girl  must 
be  saved  so  dreary  a  fate." 

"  God  permit  !  God  permit !  lieutenant." 

The  lieutenant  veteran  arose  and  went  towards  the 
mirror  ;  lie  prinked  up  his  collar,  he  combed  his  hair  so 
as  to  cover  the  two  places  growing  bald,  then  he  paused. 

"  Steward  ! "  he  called,  going  to  his  state-room  door  ; 
The  black  boy  came. 

"  My  compliments  to  Mr.  Swallow  and  ask  him  to  be 
good  enough  to  come  to  my  state-room." 


OLD      SOL      RELAXES.  93 

"Yesmassa." 

"  Sergeant,  please  retire  for  a  few  minutes." 

The  old  man  went  on  deck. 

Mr.  Swallow  entered  Old  Sol's  state-room ;  the  latter 
closed  the  door.  The  interview  was  brief;  Swallow  came 
out,  and  again  Sergeant  Trainor  was  called. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  Old  Sol,  looking  upon  the  ser- 
geant with  unusual  respect,  "  I  think,  sir,  I  have  hit 
upon  an  arrangement  that  will  rescue  your  charming 
daughter  from  the  precipice  before  her  ;  I  have  the  ex- 
treme honor,  Mr.  Trainor,  of  presenting  myself  a  can- 
didate for  your  daughter's  hand." 

"  General  Jackson  !   you,  lieutenant  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sergeant,  I  am  a  little  old  and  weather-beaten ; 
I  have  declaimed  against  matrimony  all  my  life,  but  sir, 
Faca  must  be  saved.  I  have  offered  the  brilliant  oppor- 
tunity to  my  young  friend  Swallow,  an  excellent  fellow, 
of  religious  principles,  sir,  but  he  says  —  well,  no  mat- 
ter what  he  says,  but  he  respectfully  declines  ;  and  not 
finding  a  more  worthy,  or  younger  friend  available,  I 
offer  myself." 

"  General  Jackson  !  I  know  not  what  to  say,  I'll  run 
and  consult  tho  old  woman." 

The  lieutenant  closed  the  door  after  his  expected 
father-in-law,  and  then  exclaimed  — 


94  F  A  C  A  . 

"  What  the  devil  would  the  regimental  mess  say  to 
this?  But"  added  he  musingly,  "she  was  born  a 
lady,  and  —  but  —  and  —  yet  —  no — yes  —  well  I'm 
in  for  it  anyhow  ! " 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE     FATHER    OF    LIEUTENANTS. 

Hopes  —  what  are  they  ?   beads  of  morning 
Strung  on  slender  blades  of  grass. 

WORDSWORTH. 

HE  had  borne  the  title  during  the  past  ten  years. 
Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  Old  Sol  was  really  intent 
on  self-sacrifice  at  the  shrine  of  Love.  It  was  not  alone 
to  save  Faca  that  he  had  resolved  to  marry  her ;  but  it 
was  to  have  a  companion  to  whom  he  might  tell  his  sor- 
rows. A  man  with  a  grievance  is  a  bore  among  men, 
but  a  martyr  and  a  hero  among  women ;  at  any  rate 
he  can  tell  his  grievances  to  his  wife,  and  be  listened  to 
possibly  with  a  degree  of  pleasure. 

And  Sol  had  a  grievance ;  it  was  slow  promotion. 
His  West  Point  comrades  were  captains,  even  majors ; 
his  fellow-officers  had  been  breveted  on  fields  where 
he  had  been  no  less  distinguished,  on  the  spot,  though 
less  so  at  the  seat  of  government.  Officers  had  even 
been  breveted  for  staying  at  home  during  the  war,  and 
none  of  Old  Sol's  age  were  left  of  Old  Sol's  rank. 
Poor  Old  Sol ! 


9G 


No  greater  blight  can  fall  on  the  flower  of  human 
happiness  than  hope  too  long  deferred ;  and  surely  blight 
had  fallen  on  the  veteran  lieutenant :  it  falls  on  many, 
nfct  the  dull  contented  ones,  but  the  bright,  eager, 
and  lofty,  panting  for  fame.  Here  he  had  stood  in  the 
whirl,  the  keen  high  wind  of  the  new  time  blowing  on 
others  all  around  him.  The  activity  of  men  and  wo- 
men in  civil  life  crowned  with  all  earthly  honors,  he  be- 
held —  but  afar  !  Not  his  to  enter  the  arena  !  his  pro- 
fession excluded  him  in  a  manner;  and  here,  in  his 
profession  he  was  rusting  useless,  neglected,  away.  Pro- 
motion !  promotion  !  give  men  promotion,  or  they  die  ! 

But  need  of  sympathy  was  not  Sol's  only  motive  to 
perpetrate  matrimony.  To  tell  the  truth,  he  liked  the 
sex  better  than  he  made  believe  to  others,  or  even  ad- 
mitted to  himself;  but  he  was  afraid  of  them, — gar- 
rison beauties,  or  watering-place  belles,  fast  young  wo-, 
men  that  are  on  the  wing  away  from  home  mostly, 
strong-minded  women,  who  stand  ready  to  throw  a  book 
at  your  head,  or  bore  you  with  toutomon-tootletittlt- 
tootle-traddle-ology,  or  drag  you  to  the  fashionable  and 
brilliant  scoffers'  lecture,  or  harangue  you  on  homeo- 
pathy, send  you  her  compliments  with  a  box  of  globules 
and  a  copy  of  her  verses  —  Old  Sol  had  fallen  deeply 
in  love  with  Faca  Trainor,  simply  because  she  was  not 
one  of  these. 

Besides  she  had  been  brought  up  modestly  in  the 


THE      FATHER      OF      LIEUTENANTS.          97 

army,  and  would  prove  not  only  a  meet  helpmate,  but  a 
good  tent-mate ;  she  was  accustomed  to  poverty,  and 
could  live  on  Old  Sol's  pay.  If  thrown  where  no  serv- 
ants were  to  be  had  she  could  do  her  own  work.  She 
had  no  great  house  at  home  for  which  to  pine;  she 
knew  of  no  relation  in  the  world  save  her  parents ;  she 
was  pretty,  beautiful,  on  the  severest  models  of  beauty. 

"  In  short,"  thought  Sol  to  himself,  cologning  his 
handkerchief,  and  shaking  it  till  the  perfume  filled  his 
state-room,  "  it 's  a  capital  arrangement  all  around,  and 
the  father  of  lieutenants  —  ha  !  ha  !  the  mess  go  to 
the  deuce  —  is  on  the  highway  to  happiness  at  last! 
But  supposing  she  refuses  ?  Whew  !  Yet,  she  cannot, 
she  won 't  refuse  me,  me  nearly  a  captain,  though  I  've 
been  that  a  whole  eternity.  Her  father,  her  mother 
will  not  let  her." 

Old  Sol  paused  and  reflected  a  long  time,  with  a  long 
and  earnest  face.  "  To  marry  a  girl  on  her  father  and 
mother's  say  so,  no,  no !  that  would  never  do,  never  in 
the  world  —  heigho ! 


CHAPTEE     XVIII. 

LOOK    OUT    FOR    SQUALLS. 

BY  this  time  the  young  officers,  under  the  tuition  of 
the  skipper  and  his  mates,  had  deciphered  many  of  the 
hieroglyphics  seen  in  the  ancient  sky,  older  than  Egyp- 
tian column. 

They  were  familiar  enough  with  "mares  tails,"  "scuds," 
" mackerals,"  "cumuli,"  and  their  several  meanings. 
But  they  were  now  off  Hatteras,  celebrated  as  the  "  Stor- 
my Cape"  of  our  coast,  and  they  behold  "Thunder 
Heads"  looming  up  in  the  West. 

"  Look  out  for  squalls,  my  boys,"  cried  Clincher,  sud- 
denly breaking  off  a  twister  :  it  was  about  a  sailor  who 
deserted  from  a  man-o'-war  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
swam  all  the  way  to  Havana ;  the  ship  was  five  days 
out,  and  he  beat  her  into  port  by  two  days,  —  that's 
the  way  the  navy  vessels  run."  You  should  have  heard 
him  tell  the  story. 

The  threatening  Thunder  Heads  gradually  spread 
themselves  along  the  horizon  towards  the  South,  till 
there  was  an  array  equal  to  the  army  of  Xerxes,  or  of 


LOOK      OUT      FOR      SQUALLS.  99 

some  Canute  forbidding  the  sea,  and  growing  Hack  with 
frowns. 

The  cautious  skipper  quickly  furled  his  royals  and 
fore  and  mizzcn  to'  gallant-sail,  and  soon,  as  if  from 
some  dark  Thermopylae  in  the  West,  burst  forth  the 
lightning  and  thunder,  rending  and  dispelling  hosts, 
that  close  quickly  again,  and  drive  on  in  heavier  pha- 
lanx, shaking  the  sea  and  filling  the  sky  with  their  tu- 
multuous roar.  The  swift  wind  darts  out,  shrivelling  a 
sail,  and  leaning  down  upon  the  ship  with  its  heavy 
hand,  careens  her  over  till  the  water  pours  over  her  lee 
bulwarks,  then  laughs  with  a  mighty  glee,  and  flies  for 
the  moment  away,  and  the  Aldebaran  rose  and  righted. 

"  Take  in  the  to'gall ant-sail ! "  shouted  the  skipper 
coolly  and  clearly,  with  his  hickory  voice. 

In  another  instant  the  main-topgallant-sail  was  flut- 
tering and  flapping  loudly  in  the  wind.  Again  the 
vessel  feels  that  "  heavy  hand,"  and  careens  over,  and 
the  four  seamen  who  have  sprung  aloft  to  furl  the  idle 
sail,  stoop  clown  from  their  dizzy  heights,  till  they  al- 
most touch  the  billows.  The  masts  bend  beneath  the 
breeze,  like  the  boughs  of  a  tall  sapling  beneath  the 
weight  of  a  catamount. 

The  top-gallant-sails,  fore  and  aft,  are  furled ;  the 
squall  increased  its  fury. 

"  Let  go  the  cro'gic-bowline ! "  shouted  the  skipper. 
The  cross-jack  loosened,  bagged,  crumpled  up,  and  shook 


100  FACA. 

as  if  striken  with  sudden  pangs,  and  flapped  resentfully 

in  the  face  of  the  clamorous,  cruel  wind :  and  yet  the 

squall  continued. 

"  Keef  the  mizzen-top  !  —  double  reef ! " 

And  amid  the  pulling  and  hauling  arose  the  merry 

chorus  of  the  whisky  song 

"  Sally  's  a  dying  of  love  for  me  ; 

Whisky  for  Johnny  ! 
But  I  'm  for  the  white-caps  tossing  free  ! 
Whisky  for  Johnny  ! " 

Men  are  not  insensible  at  such  moments  to  the  awe, 
the  grandeur,  the  danger ;  they  do  not  forget  the  provi- 
dence that  holdcth  the  winds  in  his  fist.  But  from  very 
contrast  the  surcharged  heart  flies  into  relief  by  shouts 
or  songs,  or  merry  jests.  Never  jest  so  merry  or  so 
well  applauded,  as  on  the  eve  of  battle,  or  in  the  face 
of  a  storm. 

"  When  I  list  a  soldier  to  go ; 

Whisky  for  Johnny! 

I  '11  tip  him  the  wink ;  you  don 't  —  0  no ! 
Whisky  for  Johnny  !  " 

It  was  as  if  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  that  the 
heavens  were  overspread  by  the  great,  heavy,  black 
masses  of  cloud.  Now,  they  are  cracked  open,  and  rent 
with  deep  zig-zag  fissures.  They  rolled  up  tumultuously 

here  — 

"  Pelion  on  Ossa;" 


LOOK      OUT      FOR      SQUALLS.  101 

there,  flee  in  thin  scuds  like  flying  Parthians  with  torn 
banners. 

A  lone  ship  in  the  gi-ey  distance,  far,  far  over  the 
murky  crater,  rose  and  disappeared  momentarily  ;  now 
her  masts  were  fringed  with  lightning,  that  ever  and 
anon  glitters  out  sharply,  at  a  short  distance,  uncom- 
fortable to  behold. 

Perhaps  the  lightning  may  stiike  you,  devour  your 
f.hip,  and  all  on  board.  At  such  moments  you  feel  sus- 
jH'nded  in  the  hand  of  the  great  good,  God,  as  if  by  a 
single  hair.  And  then  you  feel  as  if  you  were  in  the 
den  of  infuriate  beasts  that  gape  upon  you,  and  may  at 
a  moment  gnash  you  to  death,  as  above,  around,  far,  and 
near,  growl  and  roar  the  many-Honed  thunder. 

At  her  accustomed  place  near  the  taffrail  stands  the 
dark  duenna :  the  wind  has  partly  thrown  back  the 
mantle  which  shrouded  her  stern,  ashy  features.  Her 
face,  calm  and  unterrified,  she  loomed  up  in  the  phos- 
phorescent twilight  of  the  gale,  like  a  presiding  fate 
that  knows  the  bitter  end  of  all  things. 

Near  the  wheel  bends  a  young  mother,  too  frightened 
to  go  below  —  as  if  paralyzed  to  the  spot.  Her  young 
child  is  held  before  her  lying  on  its  back,  with  its  sim- 
ple, unterrified,  eager,  wondering  eyes  wide  open  on  the 
glittering,  dark  sky,  heedless  of  the  wild  chant  of  lul- 
laby, the  pale  mother  sings  in  low  breathless  tones,  con- 
veying comfort  that  she  does  not  feel.  She  is  roared 
9° 


102 


now  by  the  rain,  that  in  quick,  sharp  spats  drive  her 
below,  at  an  interval  of  lull  in  the  wind.  As  she  flies,  the 
child  screams  with  vexation  at  the  harsh  interruption  of 
its  enjoyment. 

There  are  two  sailors  at  the  wheel ;  one  looked  after 
the  young  woman  and  laughed;  the  other,  on  whose 
brawny  bare  arm,  stretched  along  the  wheel,  is  tattoed 
a  very  pretty  female  face,  raises  his  hand  from  its  heavy 
work  a  moment  and  brushes  off  a  tear  from  his  check. 
The  squall  lasted  scarcely  ten  minutes,  threatening, 
however,  new  returns,  as  sudden  strong  gushes  of  wind 
came,  and  went  howling  off,  but  growing  less  and  less, 
till  night  came,  and  the  peaceful  moon. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

SUNDAY  AND  THE  SEA  — TWO  SUBLIMITIES. 

THE  sea-shore  gives  one  as  little  idea  of  the  grandeur 
of  the  sea  as  yon  sky  —  the  shore  of  heaven  —  gives  of 
heaven  itself.  Look  now  steadily,  with  grave  thought, 
over  the  houudless  waste  —  boundless  on  every  side, 
heaving  on  and  away,  off —  where  ?  hurrying  as  if  in- 
tent on  some  mission  that  may  not  brook  delay,  nay, 
not  an  instant's  ;  rushing,  with  all  its  secrets,  its  mys- 
tery, its  life,  its  dolphins  and  its  old  leviathans,  drag- 
ging in  its  flight,  long  trails  of  wreck  and  sea-weed  ; 
staying  not  awhile  even  to  bask  itself  beneath  the 
glorious  Sabbath  sun,  but  pouring  its  deluge,  rolling  its 
mountains,  climbing  its  alpine  steeps,  surging  down  in- 
to its  depths,  tossing  its  iron,  crackling  hurricanes  to  the 
sky ;  away  it  goes  with  a  laugh,  and  a  rattle,  and  a 
melancholy  groan,  to  the  sunset  and  the  dying  thunder. 

Hark  to  the  ship's  Ml  !  Is  it  the  call  to  worship  ? 
'T  is  the  helmsman,  sounding  the  hour.  Ding,  dong  ! 
ding  dong  ! 

Look  aloft !  0  seaman,  look  aloft  !  The  day-ruling 
sun  returns  like  a  giant  racer  to  run  his  course ;  like 


104  SUNDAY      AND      THE      SEA. 

a  monarch-bridegroom  to  meet  his  tender  bride ;  like  a 
captain,  with  his  army  of  banners  ;  like  Christ,  to  meet 
his  own  elect. 

Bow  down  !  0  seaman,  bow  down !  The  lightning  yet 
hovers  yonder.  A  dart,  a  single  ray  directed  at  thee  — 
a  black  corpse  thou.  Lord  what  is  man  that  thou 
art  mindful  of  him,  on  the  son  of  man  that  thou  regard- 

est  him  ? 

» 
Look  ahead  !   O  seaman,  look  ahead  !     Simple  sailor, 

look  ahead  !  Not  the  June-fields  of  home  are  before 
you  ;  not  Mary  tripping  over  them  with  her  light  heart 
and  tfiee  to  church.  June  will  ripen  into  the  deep  red 
summer,  or  the  full  brown  autumn,  ere  you  see  Mary 
again,  my  lad  ;  but  she  will  think  of  thee,  going  down 
to  the  sea  with  the  bare  arm  of  the  Almighty  to  lean 
upon  ;  and  she  will  pray  for  thee  my  lad,  and  over  all 
the  far  deserts  spread  around  you,  there  is  no  shadow 
like  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty  hand  !  Bow  down 
and  worship,  my  hearty  ;  a  rude,  untaught  soul,  tossed 
about  the  world,  are  you  ;  yet  you  will  be  watched,  cared 
for,  and  protected  in  the  night  and  in  the  storm,  and 
brought  back  again  to  Mary  in  the  June-fields  ;  if  not 
here  on  earth,  yonder,  where  seas  divide  no  more. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE    GULF    STREAM. 

"  Do  you  notice  that  change  in  the  color  of  the  water  ?  " 
asked  the  skipper  of  an  officer. 

"  Yes,  what  is  the  cause  of  it  ?  " 

"  The  Gulf  Stream  ;  we  crossed  it  last  night,  sailed 
east'ard  on  the  long  tack.  Those  lines  of  sea-weed 
mark  the  presence  of  it." 

The  sea-weed  appeared  like  grape-vines  trailing  over 
the  water,  heavy  with  multitudes  of  clustering  fruit. 
An  almost  continuous  series  of  lines  are  thus  formed, 
stretching  from  the  Stormy  Gulf  nearly  to  Labrador. 
Here  and  there  a  flying-fish  scooted  from  wave  to  wave, 
crossing  the  sea-weed  on  light  wing,  pursued  by  golden 
dolphin,  or  intent  on  sport. 

"  Off  Hatteras,"  said  the  skipper,  "  the  stream  is 
about  seventy-five  miles  wide,  spreading  as  it  advances 
north  'ard,  and  diminishing  in  temperature  and  swift- 
ness ;  there  is  no  constancy  in  it ;  at  the  same  point  the 
temperature  may  vary  from  five  to  eight  degrees  warmer 
than  the  adjoining  waters,  and  the  current  from  one  to, 
three  knots.  The  sea-sparkles  which  you  have  noticed 


10G  FACA. 

on  the  sides  of  the  sliip  are  not  witnessed  in  the  Gulf 
Stream,  except  with  a  breeze  from  the  south-east." 

"  How  do  you  account  for  this  wonderful  Gulf  Stream, 
Captain  ?  "  drawled  out  Nebulus. 

"  I  do  not  pretend  to." 

"  In  the  absence  of  Clincher,"  said  Major  June  with 
one  of  his  rosiest  smiles,  "/will  try." 

"  Do  ! "  exclaimed  Swallow  eagerly. 

"  The  Gulf  Stream,"  said  Major  June,  in  the  manner 
of  a  school-boy,  "  rises  in  the  Equator  and  empties  into 
Symms'  Hole ;  it  is  bounded,  North  by  the  Aurora 
Borealis,  South  by  Colonel  Kinney's  Expedition,  East 
by  the  savans  of  Europe,  and  West  by  Lieutenant 
Maury.  It  is  guided  in  its  wonderful  course  by  '  Mani- 
fest Destiny,'  and  guarded  by  the  American  eagle.  It 
went  into  the  Ark  with  Noah,  and  came  out  of  the  Crys- 
tal Palace  with  Mr.  Barnum,  who  has  contracted  to  ex- 
hibit it  at  his  next  Baby  Show,  where  he  will  baptize 
young  America  in  its  waters." 

The  major  paused,  and  looked  pleased  at  the  manner 
in  which  his  recitation  had  been  received  ;  Swallow  only 
wore  a  dubious  expression. 

"  If  you  don 't  understand  my  demonstration,"  said 
the  major  to  that  amiable  youth,  "  I  will  go  over  it 
again." 

"  See  the  waves  !  "  cried  Old  Sol,  "  as  they  dash  up 
against  the  ship  and  fall  back  discomfited " 


THE      GULPH      STREAM.  107 

"  Like  the  Allies  from  the  Malakoff  tower  ! "  chimed 
in  the  major. 

"  Yes,"  said  Old  Sol,  smiling,  "  dark  Zouaves  !  Now 
as  they  advance,  what  a  beautiful  deep  Prussian  blue?" 

"Prussian  should  be  a  neutral  tint,"  said  the  major, 
—  funny  wag. 

"  See  that  long-crested  fellow,"  said  Old  Sol,  enthu- 
siastically. 

"  That 's  an  Austrian  ! "  cried  the  major,  "  double 
crested." 

"A  seventh  wave,  perhaps,"  continued  Old  Sol, 
seriously. 

"  Hear  him  A&Z-iloquizing  ! "  said  the  major,  winking 

"  That  seventh  wave,"  continued  the  father  of  lieu- 
tenants, "  larger  and  stronger  than  the  others ;  like 
the  seventh  wave  of  human  life, 

•  There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men 
Which,  -when  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  on 
To  fortune  and  to  fame  ; ' 

how  it  thumps  the  stout  ship  ! " 

The  foam  dashed  over  the  bulwarks  splashing  a  little 
troop  of  music-boys  who,  contrary  to  orders,  were  sitting 
on  the  railing. 

"  Now  thejvave  retires,"  continued  the  veteran, 
"  sweeping  back,  proudly,  in  a  long,  white,  broken,  bril- 
liant line,  wreathed  with  diamonds,  emeralds  and  rain- 
bows, there  sinks  fretting  and  whirling  and  foaming 


108  FAG  A. 

into  white-lipped  madness,  and  finally  floats  away  with 
a  dead  flat  effervescence  as  if  churned  of  its  vital 
essence,  and  cast  out  like " 

"  Buttermilk  !  "  quoth  Major  June. 

The  old  lieutenant  cast  a  wan,  wistful,  dreary  look 
over  the  waters,  and  slowly  said  to  himself  after  Byron, 

"  There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  women, 
Which,  when  taken  at  thai  flood,  leads  on  — 
The  Devil  knows  where  !  " 

"Ha!  ha!   ha!" 
"  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  ! " 

Old  Sol  looked  around  with  confusion. 
"  What  are  you  laughing  at  ?  " 
"  The   major  declares  you  are  in  love  ! "   drawled 
forth  Nehulus." 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

FORECASTLE    INTERESTS.  j 

Poor  child  of  danger  —  nursling  of  the  storm,  — 
Sad  are  the  cares  that  wreck  thy  manly  form  ! 

CAMPBELL. 

"  Bur  I  don 't  understand,"  said  Major  June  to 
Clincher  and  Junks,  as  the  three  sat  on  the  forecastle- 
deck,  "  I  don 't  understand  how  it  happens  that  the 
sailors  are  so  easily  duped  hy  those  impostors  you  speak 
of;  many  of  them  certainly  appear  to  be  intelligent 
men." 

"  No  matter  for  all  that,  sir,"  said  Clincher,  "  poor 
Jack  goes  ashore  with  pockets  full  of  money,  maybe 
was  paid  off  'board  a  man-o'-war,  two  or  three  hundred 
dollars.  He  has. been  bit  himself,  and  heard  others  tell 
their  experience  too.  But  the  boarding-master  comes 
to  him  with  some  new  yarn,  'just  had  the  old  house  fitted 
up  fresh ;  don 't  take  any  more  hard  cases  to  lodge ; 
keeps  a  good  respectable  home  for  poor  Jack  —  full,  to 
be  sure  —  but  just  to  accommodate  an  old  friend,  and  keep 
him  out  of  difficulty,  and  prevent  his  losing  his  money, 

he'll  just   take  him,  seein'  he's   a  particular  friend; 
10 


110  FACA. 

don  't  like  to  be  bothered  by  too  many,  but  as  its  Mm, 


•  "  Thinking  it  all  just  so,  Jack  goes  to  tbe  bouse,  de- 
posits bis  chink  in  the  hands  of  this  friend  of  his'n,  and 
they  get  him  drunk  first  thing,  and  before  they  let  him 
loose  they  swab  it  all  out  of  him  clean." 

"  That  's  not  a.w,  sir,"  said  Junks  ;  "  when  I  came 
home  'board  the  man-o'-war,  we  were  paid  off  at  Norfolk. 
Six  of  us,  dummies,  came  to  New  York  together  —  we 
worn  't  aw  chummies  either,  but  shipmates,  you  see,  be- 
cause only  two  are  chummies,  —  took  a  carriage  from 
the  Jersey  Ferry  to  ride  up  in  style  ;  prevailed  on  'em 
to  go  with  me  to  the  Sailors'  Home,  and  they  'd  agreed  ; 
stopped'  there  before,  and  knew  they  sold  no  rum.  But 
Jim  Constable  and  Jack  Hews,  and  them  boarding-mas- 
ters, got  around  us,  and  carried  aw  my  shipmates  off  to 
their  houses  in  spite  of  me  ;  just  as  much  as  I  could 
do  to  keep  from  going  too.  Next  day  thought  I  'd  go 
around  and  see  them  :  had  some  curiosity  to  see  saizyors' 
boarding-houses,  and  what  do  you  think  I  saw  ?  Blast 
my  eyes,  if  there  worn  't  a  sailor  or  two  in  double  irons 
at  every  house  !  " 

"  Julius  Csesar  !  "  exclaimed  the  major,  "  are  you 
yarning  now,  or  is  it  the  truth  ?  " 

"  It  's  the  living  truth,  sir  ;  the  boardin'-masters  had 
got  'em  drunk  ;  put  'em  in  irons  to  keep  'cm  from  going 
away  from  their  houses,  likewise  from  cutting  up 


FORECASTLE   INTERESTS.       Ill 

rustics  while  in  there  ;  and,  sir,  there  they  M  keep  'em 
and  feed  'em  with  liquor  as  fast  as  they  could  caw?  for 
it,  till  they  triced  'em  out  of  &w  the  money  they  had, 
and  then  they  'd  ship  'em  off  hy  the  first  chance  ;  and, 
sir,  what  do  you  think  Jack  would  do  ?  " 

"  Do  ?  raise  the  devil  and  break  things !  complain  to 
the  police  !  tear  down  the  house  !  raise  a  mob !  seek  re- 
dress or  revenge  ! "  said  the  major,  starting  up  and 
shaking  his  cane. 

"  Hardly,  sir,"  quoth  Junks,  laughing  at  the  major's 
excitement ;  they  'd  just  turn  round  and  thank  'em  for 
taking  such  good  care  of  'em.  They  wouldn  't  do  it 
right  off,  perhaps  ;  like  as  not  they  'd  git  mad,  and  haze 
and  storm  ;  but  the  boardin'-master  would  show  'em 
their  bill :  '  here's  a  basket  of  champagne ; '  Jack  scratches 
his  head  ;  '  here's  a  "  dinner  for  twenty ; ' "  Jack  stares ; 
'  here 's  "  breakage,  ten  dollars ; ' "  Jack  remembers  none 
of  it.  But  the  boarding-master  brings  up  a  man  who 
'  does  remember,'  and  who  '  saw  Jack  invite  many  more, 
and  give  a  dinner,  and  they  aw  got  drunk,  and  if  't 
hadn  't  been  for  the  good  care  of  the  friendly  boardin'- 
master,  the  bill  would  have  been  three  times  as  big, 
and  Jack  in  jail  besides.'  Jack  is  dumbfoundered  !" 

A  long  time  the  pitying  major  mused.  "  Good  thing, 
I  should  think,  for  sailors  to  marry  then,"  was  the  ma- 
jor's conclusion  aloud. 

Clincher  had  gone  aft ;  Junks  had  become  confiden- 


112  FACA. 

tial,  a  quality  in  which  sailors  are  never  lacking :  "  I  'vc 
got  a  gaw,  sir ;  I  ;ve  dreamed  of  that  'ere  gaw  now  three 
nights,  hand-running." 

"  Got  a  what?"  asked  the  puzzled  major. 

After  a  time  the  major  found  he  meant  a  "ga'l,"  or 
rather  sweetheart,  hy  "  gazt>." 

"Married  ?"  asked  the  major. 

"  Lord,  no,  sir  ! "  replied  the  blushing  lover,  "  I  've 
not  known  her  but  three  days  ;  but engaged." 

Clincher  soon  returned  with  a  look  of  unusual  grav- 
ity :  "  I  wish,  sir,  you  'd  issue  an  order  about  the  soldiers 
falling  down." 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Clincher  ?  " 

"  The  ship  give  a  lurch  just  now,  sir,  and  a  man  was 
pitched  over,  head-first,  and  struck  against  a  bunk ;  the 
board  happened  to  be  a  little  the  softest,  and  split  ;  so 
now  every  soldier  about  the  ship  will  be  staving  in  the 
bunks  with  their  heads,  if  you  don 't  issue  an  order 
against  their  falling  down." 

Junks  tittered  ;  the  major  went  aft ;  the  surgeon  re- 
ported that  the  soldier  had  been  thrown  against  the 
bunk  with  such  violence  as  to  render  him  insensible. 

Imperturbable  Clincher ! 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE    DRUM-MAJOR    AGAIN. 

"  I  HAVE  other  views  for  my  daughter,  Mr.  Bardolph." 

"  Ah  !  then  you  favor  my  ardent  respectful  suit  no 
longer,  sergeant  ?  " 

"  Personally,  I  must  say  I  do ;  for  my  daughter's 
sake  I  must  say  I  don 't." 

"  It  is  a  shock,  Sergeant  Trainor,  a  severe  blow  to  my 
happiness  to  have  my  cherished  hopes  nipped  untimely 
—  so ! "  and  Mr.  Bardolph  went  to  the  hen-coop,  sezed 
a  young  chicken,  and  wrung  off  its  head  with  malig- 
nant energy.  "  Here,"  said  the  forlorn  lover,  "  is  my 
mortal  existence,"  flinging  down  the  carcass,  "  and  there 
is  my  soul,  my  life,  my  only  hopes  of  happiness,"  and 
the  wretched  man  tossed  the  head  into  the  sea. 

Old  Sergeant  Trainor  knew  not  whether  to  laugh  at 
the  drollery  of  this  freakish  acting,  or  to  weep  at  the 
violence  of  the  polite  Mr.  Bardolph's  grief.  On  the 
whole  the  good  sergeant  felt  sorry  for  the  discarded 
drum-major. 

"  You  wouldn  't  blame  me  if  you  knew,"  said  the  ser- 
geant, pausing  as  if  considering  the  propriety  of  dis- 


114  PACA. 

closing  the  secret.  The  drum-major  was  silent,  eager 
as  he  was  to  learn  the  cause,  sure  that  some  other  hand 
had  spoiled  his  game,  yet,  he  had  more  cunning  than  to 
put  old  Sergeant  Trainer  on  his  guard  hy  asking  any 
questions. 

"  I  know  I  shall  lose  her,  for  how  can  an  officer  ever 
belower  himself  to  the  company  of  a  sergeant  ? " 

"  Ha  !  an  officer  !"  said  the  drum-major  to  himself. 

"  She  will,  perhaps,  he  too  proud  to  own  her  old  father 
and  mother.  No,  no  ! "  said  he,  shaking  his  head  and 
flinging  out  the  tears,  "  Faca's  too  good  a  girl  for  that ; 
she's  heen  educated  fit  for  a  lady,  hut  she  loves  her  old 
parents  as  much  as  ever. 

Mr.  Bardolph  continued  silent,  hut  his  eyes  glistened, 
and  there  was  a  satanic  play  of  his  sharp-cut  mouth, 
terrible  to  witness. 

"  I  had  rather  Faca  would  marry  in  the  ranks,"  said 
the  father,  "  hut  such  a  good  chance  for  her  —  besides 
her  mother " 

"Who  the  deuce  is  this  officer?"  questioned  Mr. 
Bardolph  to  himself.  "  Whoever  he  is,  he  don 't  catch 
the  girl  so  easy." 

"  Sergeant,"  said  he,  with  touching  self-mortification 
and  humility,  "  I  have,  for  the  sake  of  securing  the 
hand  of  your  beautiful  daughter  to  myself,  done  injus- 
to  a  most  worthy  young  man." 

"  What !  William  Marshal— my  Willie  ?  " 


T  II  L      L>  11  U  J,I  -M  A  J  0  11      AGAIN.  115 

"  Tlic  same,  sir  ;  I  blush  to  confess  that  I  have  slan- 
dered him." 

"  General  Jackson  !  that 's  good  !  I  am  very  glad 
to  hear  it.  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph.  Why,  General  Jackson,  I  could  hug  you !  The 
old  woman  did  you  injustice  ;  I  knew  it  —  I  knew  she 
didn  't  appreciate  you,"  and  the  simple  old  fool  actually 
did  throw  his  arms  around  the  neck  of  the  plotting 
villain  and  press  him  to  his  honest  heart.  "  Then  he 
don't  drink?" 

"No,  sir ;  he's  as  sober  and  worthy  a  young  man  as 
there  is  in  the  regiment,  or  in  the  whole  American 
army." 

The  sergeant  could  only  stay  long  enough  to  grasp 
and  shake  Mr.  Bardolph's  hand  vigorously  between 
both  his  own. 

"  I  '11  run  and  tell  the  old  woman,  and  Faca,  and 
Constanza." 

"  My  dear,  dear  sir,"  said  Mr.  Bardolph,  returning 
the  shake  warmly,  "  you  see  my  friendship  for  you  and 
yours.  It  is  some  consolation,  after  having  done  wrong 
for  the  sake  of  my  love,  to  do  right  for  the  sake  of  my 
friendship.  I  feel  I  may  now  ask  who  the  happy  son- 
in-law  is  to  be  ?  I  hope  he  is  worthy,"  he  added  as  tho 
cautious  old  soldier  hesitated. 

"  I  '11 I  '11  consult  the  old  woman  ;  I  '11  con- 
sult her,  you  know.  You  shall  know  everything — if 


116  FACA 

they  all  say  so,"  and  his  old  soldier  instinct  saved  the 
secret. 

An  hour  afterwards  Corporal  Marshal  was  released 
from  the  calaboose,  and  that  evening,  at  sunset,  was 
seen  with  his  small  guitar,  standing  in  a  certain  corner- 
singing  ditties  to  a  certain  grandmamma  and  grand, 
daughter. 

The  drum-major  hovered  here  and  there  in  unusually 
fine  spirits.  He  knew  what  Tie  was  about,  as  gentlemen 
with  bushy  beards  and  thin-cut  lips  frequently  do. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

FORT    MIFFLIN. 

AT  this  point  of  our  narrative,  we  must  beg  the  read- 
er to  jump  overboard  with  us,  mount  upon  the  back  of 
a  dolphin,  and  go  ashore  for  the  brief  space  of  a  few 
chapters. 

At  the  junction  of  the  Schuylkill  and  Delaware  rivers 
there  is  a  large  region  of  fen-land,  patches  of  which, 
here  and  there,  have  been  reclaimed  and  converted  into 
agricultural  uses  by  means  of  dykes.  The  portions  not 
reclaimed  are  swarming  with  reed-birds,  sportsmen, 
musquitos,  fen-ducks,  fen-crickets,  and  other  fen-fowl 
and  fen  insect  creatures,  all  which  make  the  neighbor- 
hood resound  with  fen-noises,  and  fen-bites.  This  de- 
lightful corner  of  the  globe  rejoices  in  the  name  of  Mud 
Island. 

Besides  the  farmers  who  cultivate  dykes,  raise  cattle 
on  the  meadows,  and  shoot  reed-birds  or  ortolans  in  the 
marshes,  Mud  Island  is  chiefly  occupied  by  a  pest- 
house  and  a  fort ;  the  pest-house  is  known  to  seamen 
and  landsmen  as  The  Lazaretto,  and  the  fort  is  cele- 
brated in  American  history  as  Fort  Mifflin. 

It  is  upon  Fort  Mifflin  that  we  wish  to  concentrate  the 


118  FACA. 

attention  of  our  readers.  Its  outside  is  of  earthen- 
work,  whose  grassy  ramparts  almost  hide  the  brick 
quarters  from  the  traveller  journeying'  by.  It  stands, 
or  lies,  no  matter  which,  enveloped  in  its  green  mantle, 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  island,  commanding  by 
its  impertinent  looking  guns,  (whose  lips  arc  turned  up 
like  the  black  lips  of  bull-dogs,)  the  channels  of  both 
rivers  that  flow  peacefully  down  rippling  at  its  feet. 

It  is  not  naked  of  historic  associations,  complaisant  to 
remember,  nor  is  there  wanting  its  mysterious  legend 
of  a  British  man-o'-war,  that  was  caught  in  a  cross 
channel  behind  the  fort,  grounded  and  captured,  but 
which  frequently  appears,  a  phantom-ship,  in  dim  moon- 
light nights,  manned  by  spectre  British  tars,  and  com- 
manded by  a  tall,  guant  figure,  in  cocked-hat  and  quan- 
tities of  tarnished  gold  lace,  with  a  marvellously  large 
speaking-trumpet  in  his  hand.  And  the  wind,  as  it  rat- 
tles the  halyards  of  the  flagstaff  that  peers  up  from  a 
bastion,  makes  many  a  sound  of  orders  that  must  have 
issued  from  the  marvellous  speaking-trumpet,  and  noises 
of  rattling  ropes  and  cracking  timbers  and  even  guns  ' 
and  cannonades  are  heard,  that  must  have  been  dis- 
charged from  the  phantom-ship.  But  it  is  not  with  his- 
tory or  legend  that  we  have  to  do. 

Less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  there  lay  at  the 
wharf  of  Fort  Mifnin  a  steamer  disembarking  troops  — 
a  company  of  infantry.  The  work  had  recently  been. 
evacuated  by  another  company,  hurriedly  ordered  off  to 


FORT      MIFFLIX.  119 

the  Florida  war,  and  thus  forced  to  leave  the  quarters 
and  the  gardens  in  an  untidy  and  cheerless  condition  — 
even  for  such  a  cheerless  spot.  The  young  quarter- 
master, sent  up  to  reconnoiter  —  had  returned  with  a 
wrathful  visage,  reporting  that  the  rooms  were  littered 
with  straw  from  the  emptied  bedding,  the  parade  ground 
was  a  mere  heap  of  rubbish,  the  gardens  were  sprinkled 
over  with  bits  of  glass,  and  reeked  with  smell  of  turpen- 
tine and  other  vile  stenches,  worthy  a  place  upon  the 
catalogue  of  Coleridges  "  T\vo-and-Seventy  "  in  Cologne, 
and  the  hospital,  he  said,  was  filled  with  invalids  left 
behind,  to  the  mercy  of  musquitos  and  the  care  of  a 
civil  physician  in  the  city,  seven  miles  away. 

This  was  certainly  a  promising  state  of"  things ;  but 
the  men  were  disembarked  with  their  muskets  and  knap- 
sacks, which  they  stacked  upon  the  wharf ;  their  boxes 
and  camp  kettles,  were  hoisted  over  to  them,  and  the 
women  and  children  got  ashore  as  best  they  could,  while 
the  engine  ejaculated  short,  impatient,  huffy  sounds,  as 
if  half  mad  ;  and  the  polite  officers  of  the  steamer, 
anxious  to  be  rid  of  their  freight,  get  their  pay,  and  be 
off,  were  hustling  and  jostling  the  poor  camp  women 
without  stint  or  mercy. 

Among  the  female  ranks  of  this  army  of  occupation 
was  one  pale  creature,  an  officer's  lady,  Avho  was  carried 
ashore  in  a  litter  by  tender-handed  and  gently-moving 
soldiers,  attended  by  a  tall,  sallow-faced  officer  of  noble 


120  FACA. 


bearing,  and  followed  by  a  tall,  dark,  duenna-like 
The  sad  procession  wound  its  way  up  to  a  bridge  which 
crossed  the  moat,  and  disappeared  through  the  sally- 
port beyond  ;  then,  in  a  few  minutes,  the  officers  and 
soldiers  re-appeared,  the  steamer  gave  a  sea-snort,  the 
soldiers  gave  three  cheers  to  the  crew,  the  crew  gave 
three  cheers  to  the  soldiers,  the  steamer  gave  a  few  still 
more  huffy  puffs  and  went  barking  off,  and  the  soldiers 
strapped  on  their  knapsacks,  shouldered  their  muskets, 
and  marched  up  the  winding  road,  over  the  bridge,  and 
into  the  sally-port,  to  the  fife  and  drum  music  of 

The  Campbells  are  coming  ! 
Hi-yo  !   hi-yo  ! 

That  merry  music  was  a  god-send  to  the  place  ;  and 
how  it  flew  into  the  air,  and  among  the  willow  trees, 
and  over  the  ramparts,  rattling  down  among  the  reed 
birds  like  mustard-seed  shot.  The  fifer  was  a  bit  of  a 
boy  —  no  doubt  a  big  rascal  though  —  and  he  threw 
his  notes  right  manfully.  Out  they  came,  first  angular 
and  sharp,  growing  round  as  they  ascended,  then  spiral, 
then  vortical,  and  finally  floated  off  in  wreaths  of  per- 
petual, vortical,  celestial,  spiritual.0  And  the  sober 
drummer  walked  like  a  well-proportioned  alderman  in 
procession,  steady  enough  for  a  while,  till  he  too,  grew 
excited,  and  commenced  such  a  rolling  and  hopping  and 

°See  Swedenborg. 


FORT      MIFF  LIN.  121 

popping,  that  you  might  have  thought  the  whole  mayor's 
council  of  some  fair  city  had  lost  their  gravity  and  gone 
mad  on  a  frolic,  with  his  honor  at  their  head.  And  the 
little  fife-notes  capered  in  and  among  the  round  drum 
notes,  and  feathered  and  winged  them  upwards  to  the 
sky. 

11 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

HOW    LITTLE    FACA    CAME    INTO    THE    WORLD. 

WHETHER  it  was  before  the  doctor  came  or  after  the 
doctor  came,  the  domestic  authorities  do  not  agree.  But 
it  was  up  stairs,  and  the  duenna  Constanza  was  there 
and  Mrs.  Trainor,  the  sergeant's  wife ;  and  the  husband, 
Captain  Poe,  was  below,  writing  till  Constanza  came. 

This  woman,  for  aught  that  appeared,  might  be  a 
Spanish  gipsey,  or  a  Bedouin,  or  Moorish  woman,  so 
dark  her  strange  face,  so  peculiar  her  dress ;  or,  she 
might  be  a  cloud  from  the  desert,  standing  at  the  door 
of  the  wandering  soldier's  tabernacle. 

"  Senor  captain,  the  senora  is  sick." 

"  Good  God  !  in  this  unhealthy  spot  ! " 

The  duenna's  hands  were  folded  across  her  breast, 
she  bowed  coldly  and  was  silent.  The  captain's  fingers 
dropped  the  pen  and  played  idly  with  his  glossy  hair. 

"  The  doctor,  senor  captain." 

"  Yes  !  yes  !  I  will  send  for  him,  good  God  !  yes." 

The  captain  hastened  to  the  front  door,  and  called  for 
the  orderly,  who  promptly  came  and  stood  at  attention 
before  his  commander  till  he  received  his  orders,  when 


LILTLE      FACA.  123 

he  marched  stiffly  but  rapidly  towards  the  quarter-mas- 
ter's office.  The  quarter-master  sent  for  the  quarter- 
master-sergeant, who  sent  for  the  ostler,  who  saddled  a 
wheezy  horse,  and  the  orderly  galloped  and  halted  on 
the  wheezy  horse,  till  he  reached  the  city  where  the  civil 
physician  dwelt,  and  in  four  hours  time,  he  was  at  the 
bedside  with  the  dark-visaged  Constanza  and  Sergeant 
Trainer's  wife. 

Again  the  tall,  dark  duenna  stood  like  a  cloud  at  the 
captain's  door :  "  The  senora  has  a  child,  captain." 

Suddenly  the  pen  dropped.  "  And  Francisca  ? "  he 
inquired  huskily. 

"  Is  very  sick,  senor." 

"  In  such  a  place  as  this  ! "  he  cried  bitterly.  "  See 
Constanza !  since  we  came  ten  of  my  men  have  been 
taken  with  a  dreadful  fever,  one  has  died,  another  will 
soon  die,  and  now,  my  wife,  my  angelic  Francisca  !  my 
darling  Fanny  !  But  is  the  child  alive,  Constanza?" 

"  It  is,  senor  captain." 

"A  boy  or  a  girl?" 

"  A  girl,  senor." 

"Thank  God!  No,  no!  that  would  be  selfish,— 
would  it  not,  good  Constanza  ?  A  girl,  the  image, 
the  companion  of  my  Frances,  how  happy  shall  wo 
all  be  with  her.  But  to  bring  her  up  in  the  army, 
to  drag  her  from  pillar  to  post,  half-educated,  wild,  mas- 


124 


culine,  hardened,  giddy,  spoilt ;  no,  no !  1  would  it 
were  a  boy  ! " 

"  Why  did  el  senor  capitan  bring  my  Francisca  in 
the  army '?"  exclaimed  the  duenna  :  wild  and  harsh 
was  her  voice.  "  Why  tear  her  away  from  her  people, 
her  warm  country,  the  holy  church  "  —  Constanza  crossed 
herself — "to  banish  her  among  Americans,  the  Pro- 
testants, the  rude  soldados  ?  " 

The  captain  turned  his  face  away  from  the  dark  du- 
enna, and  held  his  hands  upward  as  if  to  avert  a  storm. 
"  To  blame  !  to  blame  ! "  he  cried. 

Constanza  heard  the  doctor's  footstep  on  the  stairway 
and  withdrew,  reproachfully  glancing  at  the  unfornate 
self-criminal  before  her.  She  flung  the  robosa  over  her 
shoulders,  enveloping  her  head  deep  in  its  folds,  and 
bowing  to  the  physician  as  she  passed  him,  went  up  to 
the  sick-room. 

It  was  Mrs.  Trainor,  a  bunchy  and  bustling  littlewo- 
man  who  performed  the  first  offices  to  the  little  Faca,  thus 
stormly  announced.  She  held  the  infant  on  her  lap, 
and,  as  the  door  opened,  raised  her  apron  to  shield  the 
diminutive  thing  from  the  rude  draught  of  air  which 
the  cloud  brought  with  her. 

The  cloud  came  and  gazed  thoughtfully  over  the 
child,  as  Mrs.  Trainor  continued  to  dress  it,  then  went 
to  the  bed  where  the  mother  lay,  and  after  adjusting  the 
covering  more  snugly  around  the  invalid,  who  re- 


LITTLE      FACA.  125 

warded  her  with  a  sweet,  wan  smile,  and  after  stuffing 
some  material  unknown  into  the  wide  cracks  which 
gaped  between  the  wall  and  the  window,  letting,  in  the 
damp  air  from  tho  fen ;  she  stole  again  softly  to  the 
bedside,  kissed  Francisca  on  the  forehead,  and  sat  down 
watching  her  beloved  ward,  with  a  rapturous  and  mo- 
therly interest. 

Then  little  Faca  was  dressed,  and  Mrs.  Trainor  had 
some  nourishment  to  make  for  one  or  other  of  the  help- 
less ones,  and  called  to  Constanza  gently.  Constanza 
arose  and  took  the  child,  and  sat  down  by  the  fire,  and 
sang  to  it  in  a  low,  wild  monotone,  as  it  lay  there,  a  wee 
thing,  on  her  broad  lap ;  then  she  looked  tenderly  down 
upon  it,  ceasing  her  chant  and  kissing  it  now,  and  again 
and  the  tears  fell  down  upon  the  little  one's  blanket. 
So  it  appears  there  was  not  only  warm  sunshine  behind 
the  cloud,  but  nourishing  rain  likewise. 

Meantime,  the  captain  below  consulted  with  the  phy- 
sician. The  child  had  come  a  month  or  two  before  its 
time,  but  the  doctor  gave  encouragement  to  the  father, 
that  both  mother  and  child  were  doing  well,  and  he 
hoped  they  might  live. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  the  captain,  low  and  mournfully, 
"  but  if  one  must  go,  let  it  be  the  infant." 

"God  knows  what's  best,"  replied  the  physician 
curtly.  "  But,  concerning  the  crevasse,  captain,  it  must 

be  filled,  or  the  whole  country  will  suffer.     My  patients 
Ho 


126  FAG  A. 

in  the  hospital  are  growing  worse,  sir ;  fevers  of  more 
virulent  character  are"  coining  upon  us  thick  and  fast, 
sir." 

The  captain  arose  from  his  chair  with  a  heavy  sigh, 
and  .began  walking  up  and  down  the  apartment,  tossing 
his  arms  wearily,  and  wringing  his  hands  absently  to- 
gether. "  Sir,"  said  he  to  the  physician,  "  I  have  done, 
and  still  am  doing,  all  in  my  power.  During  the  inter- 
val between  our  arrival  and  the  departure  of  the  late 
command,  the  banks  of  course  could  not  be  watched, 
and  the  water  animals  have  been  at  work.  As  soon  as 
the  water  broke  through,  sir,  I  reported  tho  fact  to  the 
department,  telling  them  I  had  not  sufficient  force,  and 
no  money,  to  stay  this  damage.  I  pointed  out  the  con- 
sequence ;  this  overflow,  which  is  now  making  the  air  so 
malarious  —  that  it  was  in  the  highest  degree  important 
to  both  the  health  of  the  garrison  ,and  of  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood, with  so  much  rank  vegetation  unharvested, 
and  exposed  to  the  alternate  heat  of  an  August  sun, 
and  the  influence  of  the  tide  sweeping  in  and  out :  I 
even  suggested,  doctor,  that  in  a  dollars-and-cents  point 
of  view,  the  repairs  should  be  effected  at  once.  But  all 
to  little  purpose.  It  is  a  month  since  I  wrote ;  they  got 
my  letter  in  twelve  hours.  I  have  written  again  and 
again,  but  they  do  nothing  for  me." 

The  Captain  sat  down,  wretched  ;  his  hands  dropped 
between  his  knees,  as  he  continued,  almost  as  if  solilo- 


LITTLE      FACA.  127 

quising :  "  My  poor  Avife ;  my  brave  men,  who  have 
marched  many  a  night  through  the  Florida  everglades 
uncomplaining,  giving  up  here,  in  sight  of  a  wealthy 
city,  in  mute  despair.  My  wife  is  taken  before  her 
time,  and  she  may  die.  O  God !  O  God !  why  did  I 
bring  her  away  from  Florida  ?  why  subject  her  to  un- 
natural hardships  and  cruel  banishment,  to  share  the 
fate  of  a  slave  ?  Doctor  !  "  he  almost  shrieked  in  his 
distress,  "  do  you  think  I  can  survive  all  this  ?  " 

"  Survive  it  ?  yes,  be  a  man,  sir  ! " 

"  A  man ! "  he  whispered  between  his  teeth ;  "  you 
know  not  to  whom  you  speak ;  my  constitution  is  broken ; 
a  few  more  snappings  of  the  cords,  and  the  Florida 
campaigns  will  have  done  their  worst.  I  may  have  be- 
trayed unmanliness  ;  I  know  I  have  ;  but  you,  a  physi- 
cian, will  pardon  it.  I  should  have  been  born  a  woman. 
I  cannot  bear  such  fearful  responsibilities  as  these  — 
this  sickness,  this  death  around  me  —  but  1  could  not 
report  sick,  and  they  sent  me  here,  here -r- a,  healthy 
station,  they  said  it  was  ;  ha  !  ha  ! " 

"  Why,  man,  you  are  chicken-hearted," 

"  Do  not  say  that,  sir  ;  in  one  quality  I  am  not  lack- 
ing." The  captain  glanced  at  his  sword,  which  stood 
by  in  the  corner,  reposing  on  laurels  won  in  Florida. 

"  Well,  well,"  said  the  doctor,  coloring  but  changing 
his  tone  to  one  of  more  respect,  "  como  lot  us  go  see 
your  little  heiress." 


128  FACA. 

The  good  physician  drew  the  captain's  hand  across 
his  arm,  and  the  two  ascended  to  the  sick  room. 

"  Come,  come,"  said  he,  going  up  the  stairway,  "  there 
is  good  in  store  for  you,  and  your  wife,  and  all  your 
men :  the  first  bite  of  frost  will  cut  things  up,  and  I 
dare  say  you  '11  all  be  well  again.  Come,  come." 

They  entered  the  apartment  on  tip-toe,  and  not  long 
afterwards  came  down  again  looking  less  unhappy. 

An  absent-minded  man  was  the  doctor ;  he  stuffed  a 
napkin  into  his  breast  for  a  handkerchief,  and  wore  the 
captain's  dress  cap  away  in  place  of  his  civil  black  hat ; 
but  he  was  a  kind  old  man  for  all  that. 

On  the  following  day  the  physician  came  again,  and 
he  continued  to  come,  day  after  day,  giving  doubtful 
but  not  cheerless  tidings  to  the  heart  of  the  distressed 
father.  And  so  a  week  went  on,  and  mother  and  child 
were  pronounced  to  be  safe.  It  was  on  this,  the  most 
happy  day,  that  the  captain  accompanied  the  doctor  a 
little  way  beyond  the  fort,  towards  the  city.  The  sun 
was  shining  with  unusual  splendor,  the  willow  trees 
waved  their  long  slender  arms  in  the  breeze,  the  water 
and  all  nature  looked  bright,  yet  the  sentinel  noted  the 
pace  of  his  once  proud-bearing  chief,  how  heavy  and 
slow  and  weak  it  was,  as  he  went  out  leaning  on  the 
physician's  arm,  smiling  half  happily.  He  smote  the 
end  of  his  musket  gaily,  and  presented  arms  with  unu- 
sual alacrity. 


LITTLE      FACA.  129 

In  a  little  while  the  captain  returned.  The  sentinel 
saw  him  stagger  as  he  passed ;  then  he  saw  him  fall 
heavily  in  the  middle  of  the  parade-ground.  He  ran 
to  his  help,  and  aroused  the  guard,  who  quickly  came 
and  bore  their  beloved  commander  to  his  quarters.  The 
doctor  was  soon  back  on  the  spot ;  but  there  was  a  heat 
on  the  captain's  head  ;  the  sun  had  smitten  him  to  the 
earth  with  a  great  stroke,  —  so  the  soldiers  thought  and 
said ;  but  the  doctor  knew  it  was  the  malaria,  and  with- 
out coming  back  to  his  senses,  without  bidding  Fran- 
cisca  or  Faca  farewell,  his  noble  spirit  fled  away. 

Constanza  lay  all  night,  and  the  next  day,  watching  by 
his  corpse  in  the  room  below,  where  she  had  so  sharply 
reproached  him,  till  the  soldiers  came  and  took  him 
away,  and  buried  him  in  the  field  beyond  the  moat, 
with  music  and  firings  and  many,  many  tears. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE    CKEVASSE. 

YES,  the  noble  commander  had  done  all  in  his  power, 
and  he  was  a  man  of  many  resources,  to  stay  the  huge 
tide  pouring  through  the  crevasse,  and  overflowing  all 
the  fields  around  ;  the  meadows,  and  the  potato  and 
corn  fields,  and  so  cause  the  malaria  and  the  death  to 
cease.  Among  other  expedients  he  had  called  the  people 
of  the  neighborhood  together,  and  laid  before  them  the 
state  of  the  case.  One  man  was  bound  by  the  signing 
of  a  contract  to  keep  a  particular  d5'ke  in  good  repair 
for  the  protection  of  his  own  property.  But  he  was  a 
non-resident,  and  his  "  property "  had  not  yielded  well 
that  year,  so  he  was  inclined  to  let  matters  go  their 
worst  gait. 

The  neighbors  thought  that  "Uncle  Sam"  should 
shoulder  the  burden  alone,  as  it  was  his  fort  and  his 
people  that  suffered  first  and  worst  of  all,  and  better 
than  that,  he  could  afford  it. 

One  man,  fond  of  sporting,  proposed  a  war  of  exter- 
mination on  musk-rats  ;  and  some  one  thing  and  some 
another.  One  threw  a  stick  in  the  torrent  and  watched 
it  whirl  out  of  sight. 


THE      CREVASSE.  131 

Another  ejected  from  his  sagacious  mouth,  after  much 
twisting  and  turning,  as  if  about  to  utter  a  satisfactory 
solution  —  a  voluminous  decoction  of  tobacco,  and  was 
ominously  silent. 

An  action  of  tresspass  for  damages  was  proposed. 
The  common  law  was  wisely  and  learnedly  quoted. 
The  statute  law  of  Pennsylvania,  in  Colonial  times,  was 
pleaded.  At  last  a  proposition  satisfactory  to  all  parties 
was  made,  and  the  inquest  of  view  adjourned  to  a  little 
house  near  the  Lazaretto,  to  take  a  drink  of  "  old  rye." 

After  the  drinking  was  done,  one  of  these  deliberate 
neighbors  stole  over  to  the  fort,  with  much  circumspection, 
there  was  some  malice  felt  towards  the  fort,  and  entered 
the  captain's  quarters. 

"  The  trouble  is,"  said  he,  "  there  are  no  gentlemen 
left ;  now  our  family,"  he  continued,  pulling  up  a  down- 
fallen  and  exceeding  soiled  collar,  "  is  the  only  one  left 
that  may  be  called  decidedly  genteel." 

The  captain  stared  at  the  creature.  He  was  a  long 
man,  with  a  faded  eye,  and  dissipated  world-worn  man- 
ner, despising  the  superfluity  of  a  coat  in  warm  weather ; 
his  shoes  were  run  down  at  the  heels,  his  breeches  bore 
evidence  of  having  laid  in  sundry  untidy  places,  his  hat 
was  shocking,  and  his  shirt  unwashed  for  an  age.  The 
best  evidence  he  offered  of  the  truth  of  his  "  genteel 
blood"  was  a  mouth,  well,  and  even  aristocratically 
drawn  down  at  the  corners,  and  a  nose  turned. daintily 


132  FACA. 

up.  Besides  the  man  was  effiminate  and  carried  a 
greasy  pillow  about,  whereon  to  sit,  when  fence  or  stone 
might  offer ;  for  true  aristocrat,  he  was  confessedly  lazy. 

"  Yes,  the  gentlemen  of  the  neighborhood  are  gradu- 
ally thinning  out,"  said  this  scion  of  high  birth.  "  Tom 
Hazledean  and  I  are  the  very  last  of  the  ancient  stock, 
and  Tom's  father  shot  my  father  in  a  duel,  and  Tom's 
father  died  soon  after  in  another.  Duelling's  only  fit 
for  gentlemen,"  he  added  par  parenthesis. 

"  But  they  would  have  fixed  this  little  matter  of  your's 
about  the  crevasses,  in  no  time.  Indeed  I  've  tried  my 
best  to  bring  these  neighbors  of  mine,  as  I  have  to  call 
them,  to  the  point,  yet  they  won't  do  anything  for  me. 
They  have  a  little  prejudice  against  me,"  'he  mused 
thoughtfully,  "on  account  of  some  paltry  pecuniary 
affairs  on  my  hands ;  but  a  gentleman  is  not  to  be  annoyed 
about  such  trifles  as  a  few  dollars,  this  side  or  that,  you 
know." 

"  Well  sir,"  asked  the  captain  impatiently,  "  what 
may  I  infer  from  the  honor  of  this  visjt  ?  Time  is  pre- 
cious to  me,  but  if  you  have  any  proposition " 

"  No  particular  proposition,  captain,  only  its  my 
opinion,  all  these  farmers  are  to  be  had." 

"Had?" 

"  Yes,  bought  up,"  he  replied,  winking  familiarly. 
"  If  you'll  just  give  me  a  hundred  dollars  down,  I'll 
agree  to  have  the  whole  neighborhood  at  the  crevasse 


THE      CREVASSE.  133 

to-morrow  morning,  and  with  your  soldiers  we'll  stop  it. 

The  captain  looked  fixedly  at  the  man.  —  His  eyes  fell. 
The  captain  arose,  took  the  creature  by  the  arm,  walked 
him  to  the  door,  called  the  guard,  and  the  "  only  gen- 
tleman in  the  whole  neighborhood "  was  ceremoniously 
conducted  away  from  Fort  Mifflin. 

The  letters,  which  from  time  to  time  went  forth  call- 
ing for  help  to  the  sick  and  dying  garrison,  were 
addressed  to  the  Bed  Tape  Bureau,  by  the  Eed  Tape 
Bureau  they  were  referred  to  the  Paper  Bureau,  by  the 
Paper  Bureau,  they  were  tossed  to  the  Brick  and  Mortar 
Bureau,  from  the  Brick  and  Mortar  Bureau  they  went 
flying  back  whence  they  came  and  found  no  rest,  and 
the  soldiers  went  on  dying. 

These  things,  impossible  in  any  other  epoch,  occurred 
during  the  reign  of  King  Andrew  the  Good  and  Great. 
And  when  King  Andrew  heard  of  the  death  of  that 
valuable  officer  and  ornament  of  the  service,  our  noble 
friend  the  captain,  and  the  cause  thereof,  he  was  very 
wroth,  and  summoned  into  his  presence  all  those  men  of 
note,  to  wit :  the  head  of  the  Ked  Tape  Bureau,  the 
head  of  the  Paper  Bureau,  and  the  head  of  the  Brick 
and  Mortar  Bureau,  and  after  a  patient  hearing  of  their 
clamor,  and  fit  animadversion  on  all  these  delinquents, 
he  decided  that  the  Brick  and  Mortar  Bureau  should  at 
once  cause  the  crevasse  to  be  stopped,  and  to  that  effect 
should  bring  to  bear  all  the  power  of  that  mighty  de- 
partment. Then  General  Mortar  commanded  Lieuten- 
12 


134  FACA. 

ant  Brick  to  proceed  at  once  and  survey  with  due  caution, 
deliberation,  and  all  practical  economy,  the  region  round 
about,  bordering  upon,  and  touching  the  canal,  or  sluice, 
running  through  the  crevasse,  and  report  without  un- 
necessary delay.  Accordingly,  Lieutenant  Brick,  with  a 
party  of  divers  men,  a  G-unter's  chain,  a  theodolite,  a 
level,  a  tape-yard,  and  other  instruments  of  admeasure- 
ment, proceeded  to  the  spot,  and,  after  regaling  himself 
with  meet  refreshments,  the  gallant  Lieutenant  made  an 
elaborate  survey,  and  drew  up  a  painted  map,  set  forth 
with  many  words,  signs,  and  figures,  together  with  a 
voluminous  report,  all  of  which,  duly  endorsed  and 
enveloped  according  to  printed  directions,  were  forwarded 
to  General  Mortar,  whereupon  the  distinguished  and 
scientific  veteran  sent  another  lieutenant,  a  man  upon 
whom  he  leaned,  to  the  crevasse,  to  see  whether  Lieu- 
tenant Brick's  reconnoisance  and  report  were  proper  to 
be  acted  upon  ;  which  confidential  officer  having  reported 
favorably,  it  was  resolved  by  the  Brick  and  Mortar  Bu- 
reau that,  if  possible,  a  compromise  should  at  once  be 
proposed  to  the  farmers,  by  whose  default  it  was  that 
the  bank  broke  away,  and  meantime  to  consider  soberly 
what  should  be  done  in  case  the  farmers  proved  incor- 
rigible. 

While  all  was  thus  regularly  proceeding,  according 
to  established  form  and  well-digested  regulation,  man 
after  man,  strong,  muscular  soldiers,  ardent  recruits  and 
tried  veterans,  were  carried  out  with  muffled  drum  and 


THE      CREVASSE.  135 

• 

broken-hearted  leader  ;  comrades  in  life  and  war,  com- 
panions in  death  and  peace.  The  old  soldier  waits  long 
for  a  brave  man's  deserts,  and  dies,  alas !  too  often 
beneath  neglect,  to  meet  with  a  sure  reward  hereafter. 
Let  it  be  hoped  so.  Amen. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

FRANCISCA. 

«  Has  not  the  doctor  come  ?  " 

"  No,  lie  comes  not  yet." 

"  I  dreamed  of  him  last  night,  Constanza." 

"  Of  whom,  my  child  ?  " 

"Enrique.  He  appeared  as  he  once  looked,  when  he 
was  so  young  and  beautiful,  and  the  light  of  his  pale, 
high  hrow,  was  there,  and  it  shone  upon  me  till  I  thought 
my  spirit  went  into  its  sunshine  to  ahide  for  ever.  Oh  ! 
I  was  so  happy  ! " 

"  See  you  little  Faca,  how  she  smiles  in  your  face, 
my  daughter  ?  " 

"  Faquita  !  Faquita  ! "  said  the  mother  softly,  as  she 
pressed  her  darling  closer  to  her  neck.  "  I  see  in  thy 
little  face  already  "  she  continued,  "  the  features  of  thy 
blessed  father " 

"  An  angel  in  heaven  ! "  devoutly  murmured  the 
duenna. 

"  What  is  it  stirs  the  curtain  at  the  window,  Con- 
stanza?" 

"  Nothing  but  the  evening  wind,  my  child,  that  has 


FRANCISCA.  137 

risen  since  the  sun  went  down ;  listen,  you  may  hear  its 
whisperings." 

"  Ah,  yes  !  complaining,  what  ? —  nobody  knows."  — 
Francisca  sighing,  said.  A  moment  she  mused  in  silence ; 
then  looking  Constanza  in  the  eye  she  asked  the  duenna — 

"Where  is  Adolpho  now,  my  mother?  and  Jorge, 
where  is  he  too  ?  Wandering  !  wandering  !  strangers, 
exiles,  over  the  earth.  Do  you  not  know,  Constanza ; 
can  you  not  tell  your  poor  Francisca  where  her  "brothers 
are  ?  If  you  know,  do  not  conceal  it ;  I  can  hear  any- 
thing better  than  mystery  and  fearful  thought." 

"  I  do  not  know,"  said  the  duenna,  shuddering ; 
"  something  terrible  has  happened  to  them.  Enrique 
never  would  tell  me " 

"  But  what  is  that  above  on  the  ceiling  ?  coming  and 
going  so  stealthily  !  What  is  it,  Constanza  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  flittering  of  the  red  embers  on  the  hearth, 
my  child,  flickering  backward  and  forward.  I  see. 

"  Well,  perhaps  so,  Constanza,  I  felt  something  cross- 
ing above  my  eyes,  as  if  shadows  were  moving  over  me. 
You  do  not  know  whether  Enrique  heard  from  my 
father  lately,  before  he  died,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yes  my  child,  he  was  living  in  Saragossa  still." 

"  Poor  as  ever  ?  " 

"  I  fear  so,  and  watched  by  the  government ;  Enrique 
hinted  as  much  just  before  we  left  St.  Augustine." 

12° 


138  FAG  A. 

"  Ah,  St.  Augustine  !  Cuba  too  ' "  sighed  the  poor 
widowed  invalid. 

"  I  was  happy  at  St.  Augustine,  although  we  were 
poor,  because  I  was  rich  in  Enrique's  new  love  ;  Con- 
stanza,  look  !  look  !  his  picture  !  Enrique's  face,  how 
a  shade  falls  over  it !  what  is  it  ?  " 

"  'T  is  nothing  but  the  twilight  deepening,  my  love." 

"  Yes,  yes,  perhaps  so,  but  I  thought  his  face  looked 
darker,  and  yet  paler  too.  It  was  the  evening  shadow 
coming  on.  What  was  I  talking  about,  Constanza  ?  " 

"  St.  Augustine." 

"  Yes,  I  was  happy  there  ;  but  then  it  broke  my  heart 
to  see  niy  father  drooping  down  beneath  the  blast,  and 
Adolfo  and  Jorge  growing  so  fierce  and  swearing  ven- 
geance against  the  mother  country.  But  in  Cuba  we 
were  all  happy ;  happy  in  our  gardens  and  volantes, 
and  music,  and  dancing  ;  were  we  not,  Constanza  ?  " 

"  Yes,  if  the  Americans  who  came  back  with  the  senor 
had  staid  away,  or  he  had  never  come  to  their  land  and 
seen  their  liberty.  Curses  on  the  Americans  ! " 

"  Hush,  mother  !  do  not  you  curse  Mm,  my  Enrique, 
and  this  child  of  his,  she  is  an  American,  will  you  not 
love  her,  Constanza  ?  " 

"  Heaven  pardon  me  ! "  the  duenna  crossed  herself, 
"  I  will  learn  to  love  the  Americans  for  thy  sake,  my 
little  Faca,  mi  cara  Faquita  !  Faquita  !  Faquita  ! " 

The  woman  bent  over  and  kissed  the  child. 


F  11  AN  CISC  A.  139 

"  Be  still,  Constanza,  surely  there  is  some  one  in  the 
room." 

"  No  one  but  us,  my  child." 

"  No  ?  Then  1  am  mistaken.  I  am  very  weak  ;  I 
shall  live  but  little  longer,  little  longer  see  thee  here 
my  infant."  The  mother  drew  the  child  against  her 
cheek  and  murmured,  "  Listen  my  mother ;  you  are  a 
stranger,  you  cannot  go  back  home,  you  too  are  an  ex- 
ile for  being  my  nurse.  This  child  shall  never  know  of 
our  misfortunes,  shall  she  ?  mind  you,  Constanza,  nor 
her  father's  name.  Give  her  to  no  rich  person,  lest  she 
taste  the  happiness  I  have  known,  to  lose  it  as  I  have. 
Let  her  be  poor  ever,  and  have  no  high  hopes.  Give 
her,  mind  you,  Constanza,  —  do  you  listen?' 

"  Yes,"  sobbed  the  duenna. 

"  Give  her  to  the  good  little  woman,  the  good  ser- 
geant's wife,  and  make,  and  make  them  promise  to 
rear  her  as  their  own.  They  have  no  children,  they  are 
gentle  and  soft-hearted,  they  love  God,  though  not  as 
we  do.  Let  Faca  be  theirs." 

"  Francisca  ! "  pleaded  the  woman. 

"  Hush !  be  it  as  I  say ;  children  of  the  poor  have 
God  for  their  protector.  Christ  was  given  to  poor  Joseph 
and  Mary.  God  was  still  His  father,  and  He  will  be 
Faca's." 

The  duenna  bowed  :  "  Be  it  so,  senora." 

"  Your  hand :   there.     I  begin  to  see  Cuba  again : 


140  FACA. 

the  soft  Gulf  breeze  comes  over  me,  the  smell  of  the 
citron  and  the  olive  and  roses  is  around  me,  the  pome- 
granate is  streaking  the  sky  above  me.  I  see  the  plan- 
tation, my  father,  Adolfo,  Jorge,  all  the  dear  ones. 
Hark!" 

The  invald  turned  her  eyes  toward  the  window, 
and  looked  in  a  strange,  glassy  manner,  into  the  night 
that  had  now  enveloped  the  room. 

She  spoke  now  in  the  tones  of  her  native  tongue. 
"It  was  not  the  soft  wind  on  the  curtain,  nor  the  fire- 
light nickering  on  the  wall,  nor  the  twilight  flinging 
shadows  like  the  foliage  of  dead  leaves  on  the  brow  of 
my  Enrique.  But  look,  Constanza !  do  you  see  any- 
thing, now  peering  in  so  sadly  there  at  the  curtain, 
drawing  it  aside  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  see,"  moaned  the  duenna. 

But  the  dying  one  heeded  her  not.  "  There  it  enters ; 
it  advances  timidly,  and  retires  again.  I  see  a  figure 
playing  to  and  fro,  and  not  the  sound  of  a  single  foot- 
fall ;  —  do  you  see,  none  Constanza  ?  " 

"  None,"  cried  the  duenna,  with  a  stifled  groan. 

"  Now,  it  crouches  beneath  his  picture.  That  shadow 
now  on  his  brow,  so  dark,  so  pale,  it  drops  across  his 
breast.  Her  arms  are  flung  around  his  neck ;  she 
kisses  him  !  I  see,  I  see !  it  is  myself !  —  the  angel  has 
come  !  My  Enrique  !  I  go  ! " 

The  fair  flower  folded  itself,  but  death  came  not  yet, 


FRANCISCA.  141 

though  his  black  wing  was  over  her ;  her  eyes  were 
closed,  and  a  smile  sad  and  sweet  lit  her  face.  Sud- 
denly her  eyes  opened  ;  she  grasped  little  Cora  as  close 
as  she  could  to  her  bosom  ;  she  essayed  to  clasp  mere 
strongly  the  hand  of  Constanza.  Then  there  was  a  re- 
laxation of  the  strained  nerves,  and  a  soft  musical  mur- 
mur flowed  out  of  her  mouth. 

"  The  garden  is  beautiful,  the  roses  are  sweet,  the 

olive  and  pomegranate  ripen  ;  the  guitars  are  sounding 

/on  the  walk  ;  Enrique  and  my  father  talk  together  and 

/look  at  me  !     They  beckon  !  they  beckon  !     The  night 

/    is  so  sweet,  I  will  go,  yes,  I  will  go ;  in  the  light  of  their 

f         eyes  I  will  follow  -      -  I  fol low " 

"And  Francisca  was  gone  to  the  clime  of 

Those  tropic  islands  of  a  world  unknown, 
For  which  we  mortal  mariners  do  long. " 

Then  a  low  knock  was  heard  at  the  do<3r,  but  the  du- 
enna heard  it  not :  the  door  opened  and  the  physician 
came  in. 

"Good  God!" 

"What  do  you  here  now?"  said  the  duenna,  in  a 
harsh  broken  voice  ;  "  you  are  too  late  !  Go  away,  and 
bid  the  priest  come." 

The  duenna  closed  her  eyes  and  told  the  beads  of  her 
rosary,  with  her  dark  visage  turned  towards  the  pale 
angel  before  her. 


CHAPTEK    XXVII. 

THE    PET    OF    THE    GARRISON. 

"  THEN  I  am  too  late  ! "  exclaimed  the  physician. 

"  Yes,  alas  !  too  late  ! "  replied  the  young  quarter- 
master, and  now  only  officer,  at  Fort  Mifflin,  as  he 
brushed  away  a  tear. 

'•Confound  the  wind,  and  boat,  and  everything  !" 

"  Confound  the  crevasses  first,  doctor." 

"Yes,  confound  the  crevasses,  and  everybody,  and 
everything  connnected  with  them  and  resulting  from 
them.  I  have  been  two  hours  crossing  the  river  in  the 
boat,  when,  had  it  not  been  for  the  crevasse,  I  should 
have  ridden  down  here  on  horseback  in  time,  perhaps,  to 
have  saved  the  lady." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  what  to  do  in  this  sad  case,  doctor," 
said  the  young  officer,  —  his  name  was  Soldan  ;  —  he 
was  a  tall,  awkward,  shy  youth,  newly  graduated  from 
the  military  academy,  thus  thrown  into  circumstances 
of  distress  and  responsibility.  He  then  went  on  to 
avow  to  the  good  gruff  physician  his  belief,  that  the 
lady  of  his  late  commanding  officer  had  suffered  for  the 
want  of  common  nourishment,  so  difficult  to  be  procured 
by  strangers.  He  had  not  suspected  this  till  to-day, 


THE      PET      OF      THE      GARRISON.  143 

when  Sergeant  Trainor  came  with  a  frightened  coun- 
tenance to  reveal  it,  and  declare  that  the  lady  was 
dying." 

"  I  thought  so  !  I  thought  so  ! "  said  the  physician 
"since  this  new  crevasse  in  the  sea-hank,  it  lias  heen  as 
if  communication  were  cut  off  from  town.  And  in  high 
wind  one  might  as  well  be  prisoned  in  a  light-house  on  a 
rock." 

The  physician  left  the  lieutenant's  quarters,  and  hur- 
ried over  to  see  his  numerous  patients  in  the  hospital. 

The  command  had  been  greatly  reduced  by  desertions 
—  for  the  soldiers  deserted  the  doomed  place  like  rats 
from  a  sinking  ship ;  and  the  terrible  cholera  had  begun 
its  investment.  In  short,  there  were  few  remaining  to 
look  after  the  sick. 

At  such  a  moment  nothing  was  needed  so  highly  as 
an  attendant  surgeon,  stationed  among  the  troops,  to 
stand  like  an  angel,  between  the  living  and  the  dead. 
But  there  was  no  such  angel,  and  the  little  garrison 
went  dwindling  down  towards  nothing 

Fortunately  the  cold  season  soon  set  in  and  stayed 
the  plague.  The  thinned  ranks  were  recruited  again  ; 
the  crevasses  in  time  were  closed  up,  and  merry  sounds 
of  fife  and  drum,  and  violin  were  heard.  In  time  it 
was  found  convenient  to  send  a  surgeon  to  reside  in  the 
garrison,  which  at  length  became  one  of  the  liveliest  of 
military  stations. 


144  F  A  C  A . 

The  child  Faca,  was  cradled  in  a  gun-box,  to  which 
the  company  carpenter  had  added  a  pair  of  rude  rock- 
ers. 

Then  after  a  year  or  two  there  was  often  seen,  going 
and  coming  gently,  and  shyly,  yet  playfully  enough, 
the  little  child,  sometimes  alone,  sometimes  with  the 
soldiers'  children,  yet  most  often  with  the  tall,  dark, 
muffled  duenna.  Her  constant  watchfulness  and  devo- 
tion knew  no  limits,  no  relaxation,  no  hours  of  weari- 
ness ;  one  would  almost  believe  she  slumbered  never 
at  her  post. 

The  officers  would  hush  their  speaking  as  the  two 
came  by,  a  little  playful  kitten  with  its  wild,  stately, 
almost  fierce  old  dam,  a  very  tigress,  as  some  thought. 
Yet  we  see  her  now,  beneath  her  close  and  many-folded 
cap  and  overshadowing  head-dress,  a  mantle  or  robosa 
descending  from  her  shoulders,  and  the  large  crucifix 
hanging  over  her  heart  upon  a  rosary  of  many  beads. 
And  when  we  behold  that  brow  of  midnight  sorrow  and 
care,  where  love  and  constancy  keep  watch  and  ward, 
and  the  dark  deep  shadows  around  her  eyes,  so  highly 
arched,  and  mouth  so  stern,  and  the  prominent  thin 
nose,  and  her  long  sharp  chin,  which  seems  almost  to 
quiver  with  deep  emotion,  we  feel  like  crossing  ourself 
and  crying — 

"  Come  not  near  us  for  we  are  a  stranger  to  thy  hid- 


THE      PET      OF      THE      GARRISON.  145 

den  world,  and  those  mysterious  depths  below !  Go  thy 
way,  wild,  wandering  spirit  —  avaunt ! " 

Yet  there  is  a  strange  light  upon  her  face ;  her  bold 
brow  and  high  cheeks  shine  at  times,  and  a  sweet  smile, 
sad  yet  truthful,  a  twilight  of  love  and  suffering,  plays 
around  that  firm  mouth,  and  again  we  feel  as  if  we 
could  bow  ourself,  a  mortal  of  inferior  mould  to  that 
one,  cast  in  stronger  stature,  and  loftier  in  its  uses  even 
unto  holiness. 

Such  appealed  this  weird  creature  many  years  ago. 
But  how  she  loved  Faca  I  it  was  almost  melting  to  see 
her  enfold  the  little  creature,  and  call  her  so  softly  and 
sweetly  — 

"  Mi  Faquita  !  mi  cara  Faquita  !  My  Angelita  ! " 
and  see  the  little  creature  cling  to  her  so,  and  push  her 
hand  up  under  her  cap,  and  kiss  her  brow. 

The  little  Faca,  would  always,  when  well  —  for  she, 
like  all  children,  had  her  seasons  of  sickness,  when  the 
duenna  and  Mrs.  Trainor  showed  such  worlds  of  anxiety 
and  did  such  worlds  of  queer  things,  each  in  her  own 
way,  lovely  to  behold — we  say  that  when  well,  the  little 
Faca  would  always  appear  at  the  evening  parade,  when 
the  music  played  ;  and  she  and  the  other  little  children, 
as  many  as  might  seize  her,  would  dance  in  a  little 
fairy  ring  around  the  flag-staff,  to  the  sound  of  the 
music,  and  be  as  happy  as  if  her  father  were  not  in 

heaven,  but  truly  there,  as  she  thought,  in  humble  sol- 
13 


146  r  A  c  A  . 

dier's  clothes,  calling  the  evening  roll  —  good  old  Ser- 
geant Trainor,  old  even  twenty  years  ago. 

The  officers  loved  her,  and  would  fain  have  caressed 
and  given  gifts  to  her,  and  provided  well  for  her,  I  dare 
say,  in  a  more  respectable  way,  as  the  world  goes  ;  but 
the  duenna  never  countenanced  their  advances ;  she 
would  snatch  her  away  and  hide  her,  and  point  to  the 
common  soldiers  to  divert  her. 

These  men  in  rough  clothes,  and  great  beards, 
and  big  voices,  —  to  them  she  was  the  light  of  the 
garrison.  One  would  come  and  ask  to  walk  with  her, 
or  carry  her  round  the  green  ramparts.  They  would 
catch  the  little  bright  scarlet  fish  that  swam  in  the  moat, 
and  put  them  in  glass  vessels  for  her,  and  make  great 
necklaces  of  their  bright  buttons,  and  deck  her  with 
their  lace  and  epaulets  and  feathers,  and  build  little 
doll-houses,  and  carved  dolls,  and  horses,  and  troops  of 
little  wooden  soldiers  on  horseback,  with  huge  black 
mustachios ;  it  was  considered  a  great  privilege  to  do 
anything  for  little  Faca ;  the  men  would  always  save 
a  few  pennies  on  pay-day  to  buy  nick-nacks  and  pretty 
toys  for  her.  And  there  was  the  baker  ;  he  revelled  in 
happiness  when  he  could  make  little  Faca's  dark  eyes 
open  with  wonder  at  some  new  device  of  his,  in  ginger- 
bread—  some  little  bird  or  kitten,  or  Jack-the-giant-kil- 
ler,  with  a  club  and  a  great  head  held  by  the  hair.  This 
delighted  the  post-baker,  and  made  the  soldiers  almost 


THE      PET      OF      THE      GARRISON.         147 

jealous,  I  fear.  But  they  did  not  always  stay  at  that 
fort.  Lieutenant  Soldan,  with  a  new  captain,  and  the 
Trainers,  aad  the  duenna,  and  Faca,  and  many  other 
little  and  big  people,  went  from  one  post  to  another  ; 
and  old  soldiers  went,  and  new  ones  came,  hut  all  loved 
her  more  and  more  as  she  grew. 

The  time  came  for  her  to  go  to  school**,  There  was  a 
post-school  taught  by  a  good  Sergeant  Boyne,  who  had 
a  smattering  of  learning — more  perhaps  than  any  one 
there  knew  of,  because  he  was  well  brought  up  and  edu- 
cated, and  grew  wild,  ran  away,  and  changed  his  name, 
enlisted,  and  now  kept  everything  concealed,  so  his  pa- 
rents should  not  hear  of  him,  till  he  could  carry  back 
substantial  evidence  of  reform  —  perhaps  get  a  commis- 
sion as  an  officer,  for  his  new  life  and  good  behavior, 
for  even  Faca  found  out,  that  there  were  some  noble- 
hearted,  erring,  and  repenting,  and  reforming  men  in 
the  ranks. 

So  Sergeant  Boyne  taught  the  child  to  read  and 
write,  and  do  little  sums  in  arithmetic  on  the  slate,  and 
all  other  children  wondered  at  her  getting  on  so  much 
faster  than  they. 

This  sergeant,  one  would  have  thought  him  in  love 
with  the  child,  he  used  to  spend  so  much  of  his  pay 
on  her,  buying  all  sorts  of  queer  fairy  books,  and  funny 
story  books,  and  every  other  nice  sort ;  and  he  used  to 
go  out  a  great  deal  with  her,  when  the  duenna  would 


148  FAG  A. 

let  him,  which  she  did  a  little  oftener  as  sne  grew 
older  and  could  not  walk  so  far,  and  knew  the  sergeant. 

Many  a  time  have  we  seen  them  sitting  on  the  grassy 
ramparts,  where  the  bright  yellow  dandelions  and  the 
little  starry  daisies  grew,  all  unconscious  of  the  warlike 
cannon  near  by  ;  —  seen  them  in  some  little  nook  of  the 
bastion  reading,  till  the  sergeant  would  fall  asleep,  and 
Faca  would  steal  away  and  pluck  the  beautiful  flowers, 
and  make  wreaths  and  crown  her  friend  all  over  with 
them,  or  play  still  more  mischievous  wild  pranks  with 
him,  hiding  his  hat  in  the  long  grass,  or  creeping  under 
the  pent-houses  which  covered  the  guns,  would  awake 
him  with  a  loud  call,  and  bid  him  find  her  if  he  could, 
and  he  would  look  beneath  every  other  great  gun  but 
the  right  one,  pretending  not  to  know. 

No  one  knew  what  manner  of  heart  beat  under  that 
bluejacket,  —  what  longings,  sickened  hopes,  and  great 
pride  all  lay  smothered  beneath  that  decent  demure 
face  of  his.  Bat  as  Faca  advanced  in  years  she  caught 
glimpses  of  it  all,  and  more  than  that,  to  Faca  he  was 
a  bit  of  a  wag  at  times,  as  what  Irish  son  or  daughter 
is  not? 

"  Bless  me,"  quoth  he,  "  the  bare  stones  of  old  Innis- 
fail  have  a  smirk  on  'em  !  5T  is  a  country  where  the 
faces  of  the  tombstones  themselves  are  not  grave" 

"  I'm  sorry  for  it,"  said  she. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

THE     DRUM-MAJOR'S    DOWNY    PILLOW. 

IN  a  room  with  his  hand  lay  the  smooth  Mr.  Bardolph, 
often  pointed  at  as  the  pattern  of  politeness  to  all  good 
soldiers.  So  amiable  a  -man  sleeps  well  Ah !  ho 
moves  !  possibly  he  dreams  !  Bright,  doubtless  are  the 
angels  that  hover  between  the  golden  cherubim  of  Mr. 
Bardolph's  arc  of  dreams  —  heavenly  thoughts  !  visions 
of  paradise  !  No  ;  he  is  awake  !  The  bandmaster 
lies  by  his  side,  on  the  back  side  of  the  bunk  ;  the  two 
dignitaries  have  a  bunk  all  to  themselves.  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph looks  at  the  bandmaster,  who  sleeps  soundly.  He 
raises  himself  partly  up,  throws  his  legs  out,  and  stares 
around  the  room.  All  the  band  are  asleep  —  snoring. 
Mr.  Bardolph  arises,  steals  across  the  apartment,  opens 
the  door,  looks  out  into  the  passage,  closes  the  door  after 
him,  and  glides  down  beyond  the  dim  lantern,  finds  the 
stairway,  ascends  to  the  ship's  dispensary  at  the  head 
of  the  stairs,  puts  a  key  —  it  must  have  been  a  false 
key — into  the  padlock,  which  is  then  removed,  and  the 
figure  of  George,  the  mutineer,  glides  out  and  disap- 
pears down  the  stairway.  The  padlock  is  returned  to 
13° 


150  FACA. 

its  place,  the  click  of  the  spring  is  heard,  and  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph  disappears. 

The  two  figures  crouch  together  in  the  dark  end  of 
the  passage  and  whisper  low. 

"  I  am  almost  dead." 

"  Stick  it  out  a  little  longer." 

"  No,  I  cannot.  I  will  beg  the  captain's  pardon  to- 
morrow, and  I  know  he  will  release  me.  This  confine- 
ment and  my  wounds  will  kill  me." 

"  Hark  ye,  Jorge,  the  girl  *is  lost" 

"  Ah  !  you  love  her  ! " 

"  Fool,  no  !  but  I  will  'not  lose  her.  My  rival  now  is 
an  officer." 

"Which  one?" 

"  I  don  't  know.  But  Jesu  Maria  !  I  will  have  her. 
Now,  I  will  not  marry  her  ;  she  shall  be  my  mistress. 
JTonly  want  you  to  play  ghost  a  little  longer." 

At  this  moment  the  door  at  the  opposite  extremity  of 
the  passage  was  opened  by  the  sentry.  The  ghostly 
figure  of  George  advanced,  at  first  bent  down,  and  gra- 
dually erecting  itself  until  it  loomed  up  bloody,  pale, 
and  terribly  indistinct  in  the  dim  yellow  light  of  the 
lantern,  before  the  terrified  sentry.  He  staggered  back 
and  half  fell  out  of  the  door,  and  again  all  was  still. 

"  You  ask  too  much  of  me  for  a  mere  girl,"  said  the 
ghost  resuming  its  crouch. 

"  Listen  !  for  I  shall  whisper  low.    The  girl  is  not  all. 


THE  DRUM-MAJOR'S  -DOWXY  PILLOAV.    151 

Heuiembcr  our  great  scheme,  the  thing  for  which  we 
suffer,  for  which  we  live,  our  country  ;  we  shall  see  her 
free  !  I  see  it  as  if  it  were  written  in  words  of  fire  on 
the  bulwarks  of  this  ship.  And  the  life  of  this  officer, 
whoever  he  may  be.  —  I  hate  him  already !  —  shall 
be  the  first  blood  shed  to  water  the  tree  of  our  liberty." 

The  ghost  shuddered. 

"  Not  another  murder !  you  would  not  kill  him  in 
cold  blood !  I  know  what  is  sudden  hate,  what  the 
frenzy  of  a  moment  may  do,  but  so  deliberate  !  and  for 
a  girl !  no,  no ! " 

"  You  were  always  too  scrupulous,  Jorge." 

"  I  cannot  help  that." 

"  We  shall  never  accomplish  anything,  mind  you  now. 
Behold  aboard  this  ship,  on  which  a  lucky  fate  has 
brought  us  together,  the  fuel  for  kindling  our  insurrec- 
tion. But  we  must  clear  away  the  incombustibles  first." 

"What  are  they?" 

"  The  officers ; — they  must  all  die  !  "  whispered  Mr. 
Bardolph. 

"  Ha  !  ha  ! "  laughed  the  ghost,  "  you  're  clever, 
you  're  no  small  plotter.  All  of  them,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes,  unless but  never  mind  now.  Go  now. 

Wait ;  here  is  a  flask  of  brandy  and  some  crackers." 

"  Good  ! "  chuckled  the  ghost.  "  I  '11  stick  it  out,  I 
warrant  ye." 

"  And  here  is  the  key." 


1 5:5  F  A  c  A  . 

The  ghost  retreated,  and  vanished  away  into  his  hole. 

Mr.  Bardolph  waited,  listened  awhile,  and  then  went 
up,  locked  the  door  of  the  prison,  pocketed  the  key 
and  went  to  bed  again. 

Wide  staring  awake  lay  he  till  morning,  caressed  by 
his  sweet  bedfellows,  Passion,  Hate,  Fear,  Remorse,  Des- 
pair, and  Horror,  one  coming  on  the  heels  of  another. 
Now  the  sweat  stood  on  his  forehead,  as  it  were  drops  of 
blood  ;  and,  now,  pale  and  exhausted,  almost  inanimate, 
but  chilled  to  the  heart,  he  lay  shrivelled  between  his 
blankets  —  a  human  agony.  And  anon,  the  warm 
blood  returned,  and  Hope  stood  by  his  bedside,  pointing 
to  the  past,  through  all  its  darkness,  and  animating 
him  with  visions  in  the  future,  more  successful  too,  more 
brilliant.  And  the  thing  to  do  !  to  dare  !  beckoned  him 
over  the  wreck  of  all  that  sweet  multitude  of  pleasures 
that  spring  up  in  the  path  of  the  innocent  man  whose 
happiness  is,  to  be  !  What  such  a  tame  life  to  him  ? 

To  do,  to  dare,  was  infinitely  better  than  merely  to 
be.  This  all  men  feel,  but  to  do  and  dare  for  GOOD  !  — 
that  is  the  difference  between  a  Luther  and  the  devil, 
between  Tell  and  Bardolph. 

0  liberty  !  how  many  wrecks  of  men  are  cast  upon 
thy  rocks  !  swept  hither  by  those  elements  which,  un- 
roused,  soothe  the  human  lot,  waft  its  rich  argosy  into 
peaceful  havens !  but  which,  unchained,  awakened,  set 
wild,  lashed  into  fury,  they  drive  howling  with  demon 


THE  DRUM-MAJOR'S  UOWSY  PILLOW,  103 

voices  over  the  waves  of  fiery  insurrection — black,  bil- 
lowy inburrection  !  where  hate  and  murder  prowl  like 
sharks,  with  jaws  open  and  fangs  ready  to  devour  the 
guilty  and  the  innocent  together. 

The  love  of  freedom  is  divine ;  but  it  is  a  fire  that 

"  Closest  kept  burns  worst  of  all." 

It  kindles  jealousies,  rancors,  revenges ;  it  knows  no 
limit.  It  would  burn  the  world,  and  sit  solitary  upon 
its  cold  ashes,  could  it  but  be  free. 

Adolt'o  and  Jorge  were  early  imbued  with  this  fierce 
love.  Their  father,  while  tRey  were  yet  at  a  tender 
age,  was  banished ;  they  went  forth,  with  him,  the  blas- 
ted branches  of  a  withered  pine.  No  country  owned 
them,  no  hope  encouraged  them,  they  were  friendless 
and  poor.  His  books,  his  intercourse  with  the  free,  and 
his  kind  yet  rash  advisers  had  sown  free  sentiments 
into  the  heart  of  Don  Manuel  Jarero,  long,  long  ere  his 
country  was  ready,  yet,  fired  by  the  enthusiasm  which 
comes  with  the  divine  instinct  when  it  is  fully  awakened, 
he  had  raised  his  arm  too  soon,  and  fallen  beneath  the 
recoil  of  his  own  blow.  All  Spain  was  too  small  a 
prison  for  him  now ;  all  the  world  too  narrow  for  his 
desperate  sons,  banished  from  their  beloved  Cuba.  Cast 
forth  penniless,  young',  fierce,  and  revengeful,  the  two 
youths  had  early  become  wails  and  wrecks,  —  a  common 
soldier  and  a  common  sailor. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

TRACKS    AND    TRACTS. 

FAVORABLE  weather  !  fine  !  very  favorable,  but  a  head 
wind  ! "  said  Captain  Handsallaround  coming  into  the 
cabin  at  breakfast  time.  He  was  an  imdespondent  man, 
and  rubbed  his  hands,  not  as  other  men  do,  with  satis- 
faction, but  with  hope ;  »an  uncommon  man  was  the 
skipper. 

The  wind  had  hauled  a  little  to  the  west  'ard  and  the 
ship  went  on  her  course  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  then 
the  wind  hauled  back  to  the  south  'ard.  The  Bermudas 
were  not  far  off. 

"Here  we  are  !"  ejaculated  Ncbulus,  at  last  out  of 
patience,  "  nine  days  out  and  scarcely  three  day's  sail 
from  New  York.  I  've  lost  six  days  at  the  St.  Nicholas 
and  Broadway." 

"  Well,"  said  the  devout  skipper,  "  the  dispensations 
of  Divine  Providence  are  unaccountable,  but,  patience 
and  shuffle  the  cards.  While  the  ice  holds  out  we  '11 
have  fresh  provisions." 

The  skipper  was  a  capital  provider  ;  a  turkey  graced 
the  head  of  the  table  daily.  The  cabin  passengers  were 


T  HACKS      AND      TRACTS.  155 

even  tired  of  fresh  provisions,  preserved  on  ice.  A  dish 
of  pork  and  beans  was  hailed  with  a  silent  "  three 
cheers  ! "  The  troops  however  did  not  complain  that 
way  ;  their  appetite  shot  ahead  of  their  fare.  A  barrel 
of  dried  apples  was  knocked  in  the  head.  The  rascals 
demanded,  it  would  seem,  dessert ;  but  this  is  not  pro- 
vided for  in  the  Eules  and  Articles  of  War,  besides, 
going  into  the  tropics  at  mid-summer  required  a  little 
abstemiousness.  This  was  the  business  of  the  commis- 
sary, who,  to  the  evident  dissatisfaction  of  the  men, 
kept  them  a  little  below  the  regulation  allowance.  One 
lean,  hungry-looking  fellow,  haunted  the  commissary  ; 
that  is,  he  came  with  a  quire  of  paper  and  stood  near 
the  quarter-deck,  looking  up  at  the  stony-hearted  com- 
missary, and  took  notes.  He  wore  a  "  complaint  in  the 
New  York  Herald  "  in  his  very  looks. 

But  the  best  abused  man  aboard  the  ship  is  Snowball, 
and  many-mastered.  The  captain  and  each  cabin  pas- 
senger is  his  master.  Clincher,  Junks,  the  steward,  the 
cook  —  all  his  masters.  The  steward  calls  him  a  mon- 
key, and  cuffs  him  ,  Clincher  kicks  him ;  Junks  ropes- 
ends  him.  While  blacking  the  boots  in  the  cabin  the 
cook  calls  loudly  for  him  in  the  galley  ;  while  he  waits 
on  the  cook  the  steward  wants  him  ;  and  while  waiting 
on  the  steward  the  mates  swear  at  him  for  not  cleaning 
the  binnacle  lamp. 

He  was  threatened  with  total  banishment  from  the 


156  FACA. 

society  of  the  aristocrats  in  the  cabin  to  that  of  the  de- 
mocrats in  the  forecastle.  This  would  have  broken  his 
heart ;  and  he  has  managed,  with  all  enemies  around 
him,  to  maintain  his  position  in  the  pantry,  where  he  still 
sings  Fra  Diavolo,  and  threatens  the  mates  with  the 
"  Fulton  Market  Boys." 

To  relieve  Snowball  of  a  portion  of  his  cares,  an 
Irish  orderly  was  brought  in  to  wait  on  the  officers  ;  but 
he  was  summarily  and  spontaneously  ejected  one  day 
with  all  the  hair  brushes  flying  about  his  ears,  with 
which  he  had,  it  was  found,  made  his  head  only  too 
familiar  already,  though  in  a  less  violent  manner. 

The  band  was  a  novel  institution  ;  they  had  been  en- 
listed here  and  there  for  their  smattering  of  music,  and 
were  neither  organized  nor  practiced.  Mr.  Fry,  Max 
Maretzek,  and  Chevalier  Wykoff,  all  know  how  diffi- 
cult a  thing  to  make  harmonists  act  harmoniously.  One 
by  one,  however,  a  new  hand  was  brought  into  the  little 
orchestra  of  the  quarter  deck,  until  now  the  tuneful 
nine,  complete,  diffused  their  sweetness  from  under  the 
shade  of  the  spanker. 

This  "  band,"  is  led  by  a  thin  Italian  with  a  vil- 
lainous look,  on  the  cornet-a-piston,  and  overlooked  by 
a  remarkably  tall,  spider-legged  German,  on  the  trom- 
bone;—  he  carries  his  wind  in  his  legs  apparently,  from 
the  effort  they  make  in  the  quick  parts.  The  others  are 
Spanish,  Italian,  and  German  geniuses,  with  mustachios 


TRACKS      AND      TRACTS  157 

and  ruby  mouths,  mostly  refugees,  and  doubtless  all 
barons,  hidalgos,  and  counts  ;  they  are  familiar  all  with 
the  Marseillaise,  the  Star-Spangled  Banner,  Yankee 
Doodle,  and  the  ilygue's  March,  the  latter  by  the  "  in- 
spiration  of  genius."  Gradually  they  grow  familiar 
with  the  "  March  in  Norma,"  "  God  Save  the  Queen," 
"  Partant pour  la  St/ris,"  "  Auld  Lang  Syne,"  ''Home 
Sweet  Home/'  of  which,  the  two  latter  delight  the  sol- 
diers most.  They  also  begin  to  abound  in  dirges.  In 
short,  there  is  hope  for  them  now. 

Every  evening,  the  Germans,  the  only  musicians  ap- 
parently in  the  world  that  had  rather  sing  than  fight 
about  it,  gather  on  the  forecastle  deck,  and  chant  the 
hymns  and  choruses  of  the  dear  old  faderland. 

"No  American,"  said  Major  June,  "if  he  be  true  to 
his  country,  can  listen  to  a  group  of  Germans,  thrown 
by  accident  together,  (yet  uniting  their  different  har- 
monious parts,  well  performed,  in  heart-stirring  songs,) 
without  a  feeling  of  self,  and  country-self  reproach. 
Why  are  we  not  musicians  in  the  practical,  wise,  delight- 
ful sense  of  the  word  ?  Must  our  education  forever 
content  itself  with  shreds  of  negro  melodies  for  the 
people,  and  Italian  trills  for  the  so-called  polite  ?" 

"  Then,"  said  Old  Sol,  "  in  most  senses  we  are  a  mu- 
sical nation  ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  music  of  "  the  tin ; " 
we  enjoy  and  appreciate,  discriminate  and  pay  for  line 
music  as  a  universal  pleasure — so  brief,  so  little  call- 
ing for  time  to  listen,  so  ennobling,  :;o  soffa  nim:,  :;o 
14 


158  FACA. 

relaxing  from  mammon,  that  it  has   got  to  be  a  want 
with  us,  as  we  pause  in  our  pursuits  after  pelf." 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  the  major,  "  that  the  nation  are 
not  so  much  at  fault  as  composers.  Our  newspapers 
and  magazines  teem  with  poetry  and  songs  ;  how  few 
that  the  people  care  to  remember,  or  to  sing  together  ? 
Of  all  the  '  tunes,'  how  few  arc  there  that  embody  words 
in  the  honey  of  sweet  sounds,  sounds  of  home,  love, 
school,  state,  nation  ?  Nonsense  to  look  for  them/'1 
7  "  If  the  foggy,  lager-beer  cranium  of  a  German  cuii 
conceive,"  replied  Old  Sol,  "  and  his  patient,  dull  pen 
pronounce  poetry,  and  set  it  to  sociable,  national  music, 
why  may  not  our  clearer,  finer  brain,  and  wider  culture, 
do  so  too?" 

"  Such  songs,  too,  would  perpetuate  the  union,"  added 
the  major. 

"  Here  are  some  German  tracts,"  said  the  skipper  to 
Swallow  ;  "  you  will  find  a  large  package  of  all  sorts  in 
my  state-room ;  they  were  brought  on  board  by  an  agent 
of  the  Tract  Society,  for  emigrant  passengers.  I  always 
convert  myself  into  a  marine  colporteur,  pro  tern,  and 
distribute  them.  Here  are  some  in  French,  some  in 
Spanish." 

"  Do  the  emigrants  read  them  ?  " 

"  Gladly ;  some  to  while  away  the  time,  and  others 
for  the  pleasure  of  reading  their  own  native  language. 
Now,  if  you  want  to  convert  the  heathen,  give  them  to 
the  soldiers." 


TRACKS      AND      TRACTS.  15D 

•' 

"  I  will,"  said  Swallow,  "  but  soldiers  are  not 
heathen." 

"  Ain  't  they  ?  0,  I  don 't  know !  Well,  after  they 
reach  Texas,  when  they  have  got  through  with  them 
they  can  shift  them  over  to  the  Indians." 

Those  tracts  at  sea,  are  literally  bread  cast  upon  the 
waters.  Blessings  on  Tract  Societies  !  Let  no  man 
think  a  good  work  ever  dies,  it  shall  return  after  many 
days.  Like  an  arrow  that  disappears  in  the  air,  truth 
may  disappear,  and  yet  tell  on  the  ranks  of  the  enemy. 

That  evening  Swallow  showed  Major  June  the  follow- 
ing note : 

"COMMANDING   OFFICEB, — 

TRUSTING  you  will  excuse  my  liberty,  I  would  ask  a  small 
favor  of  you,  which,  I  trust  you  will  grant  me.     It  consists  in  a 
giving  me  a  Bible  or  a  Destament,  that  I  may  be  able  to  read  it. 
I  remain,  very  respectfully, 

Tours  obedient  sewant, 
RUDOLPH  E.  CUTORST,  Dragoon." 

"  I  hope  you  were  able  to  supply  old  Cutorst,"  said 
the  Major. 

"  Yes  sir,  and  sixteen  others." 

The  Bible  at  sea  !  The  sea  for  a  map,  on  which  the 
wonders  of  the  scripture  are  spread  out.  The  Deluge, 
the  Red  Sea,  Galilee,  the  numberless  allusions  by  the 
Patient  Man,  and  the  sweet  singer  of  Psalms,  the  Pro- 
phets and  the  Poets  of  sacred  old,  glitter  from  the  sea,  as 
the  stars,  the  old  recording  witness,  glitter  from  the  sky. 


CHAPTEE    XXX. 

FIRST    LOVE    IN     AN    OLD    HEAKT. 

OLD  SOL  had  despised  women  all  his  life,  because  he 
never  knew  them  ;  and  like  most  men  of  that  sort,  he 
fell  in  love  with  the  first  specimen  he  examined.  Faca, 
the  child  he  had  known  formerly. 

Chance  had  thrown  him  aboard  the  same  ship  with 
Faca,  the  young  woman.  Chance  had  brought  him  in 
close  contact.  Pity  for  her  pale,  senseless  form,  interest 
awakened  for  her  recovery,  sympathy  felt  for  a  genuinely 
higher  character  than  belonged  to  her  class,  yet  was  she 
chained  to  her  class  ;  a  few  sentences  of  intercourse,  a 
few,  nay  many  bestowals  of  looks  of  curious  wonder 
and  admiration,  had  altogether  overthrown  the  forces  of 
his  heart,  horse,  foot,  artillery,  and  sand-bags. 

Lucky,  most  fortunate,  for  Old  Sol,  that  the  conquest 
was  made  by  so  good,  so  generous  a  foe  —  superior  to 
most  women  the  blind  god,  Chance,  might  have  employed. 

And  yet  Faca  was  a  woman  ;  nay,  she  was  almost  a 
child  in  some  things.  She  cried  when  William  was 
thrown  into  prison  ;  she  cried  when  her  father  made 
known  the  wisli  of  Lieutenant  Soldan  ;  she  cried,  and 


NEW      LOVE      IN      AN      OLD     HEART.      161 

became  pettish  and  pouted  whenever  he  pushed  the  sub- 
ject home  to  her.  Most  girls,  situated  as  she  was,  would 
have  danced  for  joy,  to  be  elevated  from  the  ranks  to 
ladyship,  (Faca  never  suspected  her  true  origin,)  to  the 
society  of  intelligent  people,  to  the  atmosphere  of  proud 
station  and  refinement.  Is  not  that  the  way  the  world 
would  reason  ?  '  Yes,  and  very  proporly  too,  good  world. 

The  whole  thing,  however,  was  precipitated  upon  her 
in  a  moment  of  surprise  and  astonishment,  and  Faca 
saw  nothing,  while  she  felt  the  blinding  dust,  and  heard 
the  racket,  silly  child. 

As  she  stood  not  far  from  the  quarter-deck,  the  day 
after  Old  Sol's  proposal,  she  saw  that  soldierly  gentle- 
man approaching  her,  and  glided  away  out  of  his  sight. 
It  was  evident  then  and  thereafter  that  she  slyly  avoided 
him. 

In  vain  the  old  sergeant  reproached.  Faca  always 
blushed,  and  turned  pale,  at  the  sight  of  her  lover.  To  a 
regular  knowing  one,  a  fop,  a  lady-killer,  such  as  Nebu- 
lus,  the  symptom  would  have  been  thought  favorable ; 
but  to  honest,  ignorant  Old  Sol,  it  was  very  painful, 
chilly,  and  killing 

A  child  belonging  to  a  camp-woman  had  been  en- 
trusted to  Faca,  while  the  good  woman  was  washing  her 
husband's  shirt  below.  The  child  in  merry  mood,  ran 
frolicing  about  the  deck.  Now  it  danced  around  one  of 
the  little  pigs,  now  it  pulled  the  Newfoundland  dog's. 

tail,  now   it  made  faces  at   an  officer,  now   it   played 
140 


162  FACA. 

bo-peep  !  with  a  soldier.  Faca  followed,  endeavoring  to 
curb  its  wild  glee.  Her  attention  was  diverted  a 
moment  bj  the  sight  of  a  school  of  porpoises,  sporting 
near  the  ship,  and  the  child  ran  and  perched  itself  over 
the  border  of  the  hatchway.  The  danger  was  imminent, 
for  the  hatches  opened  down  through  all  the  decks. 
The  scream  of  a  woman  turned  Faca's  face  towards  the 
child,  but  terror  fastened  her  to  the  spot. 

Down  the  quarter-deck  strode  Old  Sol,  advancing 
rapidly  towards  the  rescue,  but  ere  he  gained  the  hatch, 
Faca  had  sprang  forward,  seized  the  infant  and  borne  it 
away  in  safety.  He  blushed  and  stammered  at  something 
as  she  passed  near  him,  and  took  off  his  hat,  and  looked 
after  her  with  heightened  admiration. 

Poor  Old  Sol,  he  •would  have  given  a  years  pay  to 
have  saved  the  child  himself. 

A  low  laugh  was  heard  behind  the  officer,  who  imme- 
diately recovered  his  self-possession  and  turned  to  see 
whence  it  proceeded.  He  discovered  no  one  near  but 
the  polite  Mr.  Bardolph  walking  away,  it  could  'nt  be  he, 
guilty  of  such  rudeness  —  of  course  not  ! 

Mr.  Barpolph's  plot,  whatever  it  was,  had  now  a 
direct  personal  view  ;  a  figure  stood  prominently  in  the 
foreground,  that  must  be  swept  away  first  of  all. 

Again  that  laugh  might  be  heard  in  the  passage 
below.  "  Ho  !  ha  ! " 


CHAPTEK    XXXI. 

THE    ANGEL    IN    THE    SHIP. 

I 

But  then  her  face, 

So  lovely,  yet  so  arch,  so  full  of  mirth, 
Yet  the  overflowings  of  an  innocent  heart. 

ROGERS. 

WHOSE  smile  was  it  that  lit  up  the  good  ship  Alde- 
baran  on  cloudy  days  ?  Whose  hand  was  it  that  bathed 
hot  hrows  of  sick  and  suffering  in  regions  down  below, 
where  surgeon  or  officer  seldom  went  ?  Who  was  it  the 
soldiers  loved  ?  Who  was  the  pride  of  the  company  ? 
Who  did  the  little  camp  children  run  to,  with  their 
little  sorrows  and  joys  ? 

Who  was  it,  a  little  broken-down,  breathless,  frightened 
bird,  broken  down  in  its  flight  away  out  so  far  from  land, 
flew  to  ?  on  whose  shoulder  did  it  perch  that  day  ? 

Here,  aboard  this  ship,  this  ship  full  of  conspiracies, 
this  haunted  ship,  was  an  angel.  She  did  not  sit  upon 
the  wings  of  the  lonely,  sea-tost  arc,  like  a  cherubim. 
She  did  not  descend  upon  the  lonely  mariner  at  watch 
by  night,  announcing  good  tidings.  The  angel  of  the 
ship  went  about  in  simple  guise,  with  a  troubled  heart, 
with  a  fearful  forelooking  into  the  future  ;  courted,  but 


164  FAG  A. 

persecuted  and  plotted  against ;  a  frail  young  woman  — 
there  are  thousands  of  such  angels  in  the  land  who  go 
ahout  plotted  against  and  persecuted  to  the  death.  Yet 
God  looked  down  and  watched  over  Faca  as  he  does  over 
the  many  sweet  sisters  of  Faca  scattered  abroad.  And 
there,  like  the  shadow  of  His  hand,  was  the  dark,  faith- 
ful woman,  tfae  duenna  Constanza,  watching  likewise. 
Her  light  came,  heaven  only  knew  whence  !  Her  ex- 
istence was  a  sort  of  trance ;  she  lived  only,  as  it  were, 
on  the  sunny  side  of  a  dream.  It  was  one  of  early 
days,  that,  in  her  hloom  of  youth  and  beauty,  a  noble 
hidalgo  wooed  and  won  her,  and  that  an  angelic  boy  of 
his  came  to  her  bosom,  laying  there  a  soft,  white  hand, 
a  flower,  which  threw,  over  all  this  dream  a  light  and 
sweet  perfume. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

THE      FIRST     . 

AT  a  time  after  dinner,  when  the  gentlemen  were 
usually  on  deck,  Old  Sol  entered  the  cabin,  on  the  way 
to  his  state-room. 

Faca  had  picked  up  a  book  belonging  to  the  officer, 
and  standing  near  her  own  state-room  door,  was  deeply 
engaged  perusing  its  contents.  She  did  not  notice  Old 
Sol's  entrance,  but  went  on  reading.  He  paused  and 
stood  gazing  at  her  many  seconds.  Faca  was  beautiful ; 
her  figure  was  rather  tall,  and  though  not  quite  devel- 
oped, perfect  in  its  harmonious  proportions.  Her  profile 
was  (as  the  major  had  said,)  of  the  purest  American 
oval.  The  glossy  black  ringlets  thrown  back  from  her 
temples,  the  earnest  depth  of  her  liquid  eye,  shadowed 
by  its  long  fringes,  like  a  raven's  image  in  a  willow 
brook  ;  her  bosom  throbbing  with  sympathizing  interest ; 
her  figure  draped  in  a  close-fitting  dress  of  grey  linen, 
with  a  severely  simple  white  collar ;  her  attitude  and 
whole  appearance  entranced  poor  Old  Sol. 

Then  an  idea  seized  him.  It  made  him  look  ten 
years  younger,  positively  boyish.  With  a  mischievous 
bright  light  in  his  eye,  he  stole  softly  towards  her,  and 


166  FACA. 

ere  she  was  aware  of  it  Old  Sol  had  caught  a  rapturous 
kiss.  Did  she  scream  ?  did  she  faint  ?  did  she  fly  into 
the  state-room  and  slam  the  door  in  his  burning  "bright 
face  ?  No  !  a  moment  she  gathered  herself  up  to  her 
loftiest  stature,  and  flashed  indignation  at  the  daring 
lover.  Then  seeing  the  blushing  bashfulness  and  comic 
look  of  fright  upon  his  features,  her  haughtiness  relaxed 
into  a  smile.  The  next  moment  her  anger  came  back 
again,  and  dashing  the  look  in  his  face  she  flung  her- 
self into  her  state-room  and  locked  the  door. 

Old  Sol  was  dismayed.  He  picked  up  the  book ;  it  was 
Lamertine's  "  Memoirs  of  my  Youth."  Cursing  it  as  the 
cause  of  his  puerile  audacity,  and  then  caressing  it  as 
associated  with  her,  he  turned  over  its  leaves,  vainly 
trying  to  find  where  Faca  had  become  so  deeply  absorbed. 
He  then  listened  near  her  door ;  heard  her  footsteps 
pacing  to  and  fro  in  the  state-room,  heard  the  quick 
rustle  of  her  dress,  but  no  sound  from  her  lips.  Greatly 
tempted  was  he  to  peep  through  the  key-hole.  He  bent 
over  towards  it.  Then  his  sense  of  honor,  his  respect 
for  her,  even  his  chaste  high  love  forbade. 

"  No  ! "  he  said  to  himself  scornfully,  "  never  !  " 

He  turned  to  move  'away,  and  encountered  the  broad 
rosy  face  of  Major  June,  and  peering  over  his  shoulder 
the  semi-translucent  look  of  Nebulus,  grinning  at  him. 

"  Upon  my  honor,  gentlemen,  I  did  not  look  through 
the  key-hole,  upon  my  honor  ! " 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

0    MEET    ME    ON    THE    SILVER    SHORE! 

0  meet  me  on  the  silvery  shore, 

That  glitters  round  the  bright  lagoon,    . 
When  evening  murmurs  gliding  o  'er, 

Breathe  vespers  to  the  vestal  moon. 
0  list  the  zephyr's  breathing  low, 

As  faint  responses  from  a  bride, 
And  see  the  waters  dimpling  flow, 

Like  infant  pulses  with  the  tide. 

Like  zephyrs  on  the  moonlit  sea, 

Stole  love  upon  my  spirit  young,  — . 
Like  evening  murmurs,  fell  on  me, 

Soft  accents  melting  from  thy  tongue  : 
Then  meet  me  on  the  silver  shore, 

My  vows  of  love  I  will  renew, 
And  stars  shall  tell  the  story  o  'er, 

That  earliest  love  is  ever  true. 

Thus  sang;  William  to  Faca  in  the  twilight  hour. 
Her  heart  fluttered  as  maidens'  should,  but  was  it  for 
William,  or  his  ditty  ? 

Ah,  Faca  !  Faca  !  she  seemed  vacant.  Her  thoughts 
were  not  here  with  William,  she  looked  over  the  sea  and 


168  FACA. 

said  nothing  ;  but  her  thoughts  were  not  roaming  over 
the  sea. 

"  You  did  not  hear  a  word  I "  said  William  pe- 
tulantly. 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  did  not,"  said  she  blushing. 

"  You  are  going  to  marry  that  old  Lieutenant  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  am." 

"  You  will  grow  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  your  father 
and  mother,," 

"  Possibly  I  may." 

"  Then,"  said  he,  after  hesitating  and  with  much  trem- 
bling, "you  never  loved  me  —  you  are  too  proud." 

"William!"  she  exclaimed  in  anger,  "you  do  not 
know  ihe :  you  are  always  reproaching  me  ;  —  but  I 
never  gave  you  my  love.  Father,  too,  is  always  provok- 
ing me ;  you  sigh  and  he  swears,  yet  I  have  done 
nothing  ;  because  I  am  perplexed  must  you  all  vex  me 
the  more  ?  " 

"  It  is  easy  to  see  that  you  will  marry  him  ! " 

"  And  father  says  it  is  easy  to  see  I  never  will  !  He 
cries  '  General  Jackson  !  girl  you  are  a  fool ! '  and  you 
call  me  '  heartless.' "  Faca  stamped  her  little  foot  upon 
the  deck,  "  good  night,  I  will  stay  with  you  no  longer," 
she  added  going. 

"  Will  you  not  come  to-morrow  evening?"  he  said  in 
a  distressed  voice,  but  she  was  gone. 


SILVER      SHORE.  169 

"  Dash  it  ! "   ho  exclaimed,  "  I  wish   I    was  in  the 
Calaboose  again." 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  a  smooth  voice. 

"  Because,  Mr.  Bardolph,  I  am  more  miserable  here." 

"  You  have  been  cut  out,"  said  the  drum-major  with  a 
slight  sneer. 

"Yes." 

"Would  you  rid  yourself  of  your  rival  ?" 

"Of  course!" 

"  Then  let  us  talk  together  down  stairs." 
15 


CHAPTEK     XXXIV. 

GOING    DOWN    INTO    THE    DEEP. 

IN  latitude  33°  the  sea  air  was  delightful,  and  chiefly 
so  towards  and  during  the  evening. 

The  officers,  with  the  skipper  in  their  midst,  and  the 
veracious  Clincher  within  hearing,  often  gathered  in  one 
or  other  of  the  quarter-boats  that  hung,  one  on  each 
side. 

The  blue  waves  surged  beneath  them,  the  white  fleecy 
clouds  flew  over  the  topsails,  as  they  glided  on,  the  sails 
filled,  and  anon  shook  in  the  light  wind,  the  sea-mon- 
sters sported  around  their  track,  the  hum  of  the  troops 
was  stilled,  and  the  music  of  the  band  awoke  their  sen- 
ses to  a  deeper  gladder  harmony. 

"  This  is  almost  as  fine,"  said  the  surgeon,  "  as  Bayard 
Taylor's  sailing  up  the  grand  old  Nile." 

As  the  wind  grew  fresher,  the  Aldebaran  sped  on 
more  rapidly,  and  the  summer  clouds  began  to  pile 
themselves  up  on  the  horizon. 

"  Captain,"  said  Swallow,  as  he  looked  down  at  the 
dizzy,  yeasty  waves,  "  what  chance  would  a  man  have 
for  his  life  if  he  should  fall  overboard  now  ?  " 


GOING      DOWN.  171 

"  Very  little.  I  've  seen  many  fall  overboard  while  a 
ship  was  in  motion,  but  not  one  saved." 

"  I  think  one  might  keep  himself  up  for  some  time." 

"Yes,  if  he  were  cool.  The  danger  is,  that  persons 
commonly  lose  their  presence  of  mind ;  the  fall  is  apt  to 
bewilder,  they  over-exert  themselves,  lose  strength, 
and  strangle,  sometimes  their  bewilderment  is  surprising. 
Once  a  man  fell  overboard  from  this  ship.  I  had 
her  hauled  square  up,  let  go  all  sails,  cleared  this  quar- 
ter-boat, and  had  a  crew  ready  in  a  moment.  Mean- 
time I  threw  a  buoy  overboard,  the  mate  flung  another, 
so  there  was  one  on  each  side  of  him  ;  but  he  would  n't 
touch  either,  and  went  down  between  them.  Never 
mind  the  boat,  said  I,  he 's  gone." 

"  On  my  way  to  Mexico,  with  troops,"  said  the  Major, 
"  we  lay  off  Brazos  Santiago  a  day  or  two.  There  was 
an  insane  teamster  on  board  who  had  given  us  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  —  Christopher!  more  than  his  neck  was 
worth.  We  had  to  keep  a  guard  over  him  to  prevent 
his  committing  suicide.  But  while  we  were  lying  at 
anchor  I  heard  a  voice  — 

"  Here  goes,  boys ;  I  'm  off ! "  and  over  he  plunged 
into  the  water. 

"  Was  he  drowned  ?"  asked  Swallow. 

"  Christopher !  sir,  he  no  sooner  smacked  into  the 

water  than 0 !  goo !  woo  ! "  he  cried,  and  began 

to  swim  like  a  Sandwich  Islander.  He  drifted  a  good 


172  FACA. 

distance  before  the  boat  could  be  got  down  and  reach 
him  ;  but  hydropathy  cured  him. 

"  The  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence  are  unac- 
countable." said  the  skipper." 

"  Once  coming  over  from  Liverpool,  a  man,  a  young 
seaman  fell  from  the  rigging.  He  came  pitching  head 
first,  and  fell  not  far  from  where  the  mate  stands  now. 
There  happened  to  be  an  old  grey-headed  sailor  stand- 
ing there,  who  caught  the  young  man  on  his  shoulders. 
They  both  came  to  the  deck,  and  were  picked  up  senseless 
and  carried  into  the  cabin,  where  they  were  examined 
by  a  British  army  surgeon,  who  was  on  his  way  to  a 
regiment  in  Canada.  Under  his  care  the  young  man 
soon  recovered,  but  the  old  sailor  died.  Not  a  bone  was 
broken  in  the  body  of  the  young  fellow,  but  poor  '  Old 
Richard'  had  his  arms  and  collar-bone  shivered,  and 
got  a  thump  on  the  breast  which  caused  his  death." 

"Wondrous  chance ! 
Or  rather  wondrous  conduct  of  the  gods ! " 

Whispered  Major  June  to  Old  Sol. 

"  Look  at  the  sky,  gentlemen,"  said  Nebulus.  He 
pointed  his  hand  towards  a  mass  of  cloud-alps,  on  whose 
jagged  crags  the  brilliant  moon  was  pouring  a  storm 
of  blazing  light. 

All  eyes  were  turned  that  way.  The  ship  was  dart- 
ing through  the  water  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  the 


GOING      DOWN.  173 

weather  side,  opposite  the  group  of  beholders,  was 
thrown  up,  so  that  the  cloud  spectacle  was  just  visible  in 
all  its  height  of  glory  above  the  gunwales  of  the  project- 
ing quarter-boat.  In  this  boat,  standing  suddenly  erect 
with  his  nose  stretched  upward,  was  the  large  Newfound- 
laud  dog,  Lion,  look-ing  as  if  he  were  on  top  of  one  of 
those  blazing  cliffs.  It  was  a  study  worthy  of  Land- 
seer. 

"  Speaking  of  Landseer,"  said  Major  June,  "  he  is  a 
true  Pythagorean.  A  transmigrated  soul  speaks  out  of 
every  animal  he  paints.  Every  previous  painter  of  ani- 
mals was  a  heathen  and  an  atheist  compared  with  him  — 
even  Poussin  himself." 

"  You  know,"  continued  the  major,  "  that  the  Indians 
believe  in  transmigration,  or  at  least  many  of  them  do. 
Some  tribes  trace  their  origin  to  wild  beasts.  The  Tor- 
keways  have  now  an  annual  feast,  in  which  they  celebrate 
their  derivation  from,  or  rather  by  means  of  the  wolf. 
An  account  of  one  was  given  me  by  an  Indian  agent. 
We  lay  encamped  on  the  Witchitaw. 

"  Half  a  mile  from  this  spot  you  '11  find  a  good 
spring,"  he  said. 

"  I  thought  no  white  man  had  ever  been  here  before/1 
said  I. 

"  Let  us  look  for  the  spring,"  was  his  reply. 

"  He  arose  and  led  me  though  the  thick  words  direct  to 

15* 


174  FACA. 

it.  It  was  a  beautiful  spot,  and  we  sat  down  on  the 
green  bank. 

" I  witnessed  a  curious  sight  here,"  said  he ;  "I  was 
doing  some  government  business  with  the  Cumanches, 
and  a  large  baud  of  Torkeways  came,  and  seeing  a 
white  man,  demanded  that  he  should  be  given  up  to 
be  put  to  death.  But  the  old  chief  of  the  Cumanches 
said  — 

"  No ;  he  is  my  guest ;  he  sleeps  in  my  lodge.  I 
cannot  give  him  up. 

"  It  was  a  dangerous  refusal  to  make,  for  the  Cuman- 
che  party  was  small,  and  the  Torkeways  very  large, 
and  hostile  to  the  whites.  But  the  old  chief  was  a 
brave  man,  and  kept  me  under  his  eye  all  the  time. 
Days  and  days  we  sat  together  in  his  tent,  smoking, 
without  a  word  uttered  by  either.  Finally,  he  said  he 
was  obliged  to  go  to  a  feast  of  the  Torkeways,  for  if  he 
refused,  they  would  take  it  as  an  insult,  and  I  must  go 
with  him.  He  disguised  me  as  a  Cumanche  warrior, 
and  put  me  in  a  corner  of  the  Torkeway  lodge  with  his 
young  men.  The  adventure  had  a  charm  for  me  that 
no  civilized  gathering  could  present. 

"  First  appeared  a  dozen  Torkeways  dressed  in  wolf- 
skins, jumping  on  all  fours :  they  set  up  a  most  infer- 
nal howling,  and  then  took  to  digging  the  earth  with 
their  fingers,  or  claws.  After  scratching  and  howling  a 
long  time  they  dug  a  man  out  of  the  earth.  The  man 


GOING     DOWN.  175 

looked  wildly  around  him,  ventured  forth,  and  after  a 
brief  absence  returned  and  laid  himself  down  in  the 
pit  again :  again  they  drew  him  up. 

"  Why  do  you  put  me  in  this  world  ?  "  said  he,  "  it  is 
full  of  wild  beasts ;  they  have  sharp  teeth  and  long 
claws,  they  are  stronger ;  they  roar  and  frighten  me ; 
they  will  kill  me,  or  I  shall  starve.  Let  me  sleep  again 
in  the  ground. 

"  Then  they  put  a  bow  and  arrow  in  his  hands,  and 
said,  'Go  now,  shoot  the  wild  animals,  kill  and  eat 
everything  you  find.' 

"  That  was  the  first  man,"  said  the  major  smiling, 
"  and  from  him  we  all  spring ;  Torkeways  and  pale 
faces." 

The.  major  had  a  simple,  winning  way  of  smiling 
when  he  told  a  story  —  it  was  as  good  as  if  an  Indian 
had  told  it.  * 

"  It  is  curious,"  remarked  Swallow,  "  how  many  the- 
ories of  the  origin  of  mankind  descend  into  the  ground 
for  him.  Are  they  not  all  confirmations  of  the  Bible 
account  of  Adam's  creation,  showing  that  the  true 
knowledge  must  have  once  extensively  prevailed  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  the  major,  "  and  it  has  always 
been  a  matter  of  surprise  to  me  how  Volney  could  have 


43  For  this  legend  the  author  is  indebted  to  Captain  Marcy,  of  the 
United  States  Army. 


176  FACA. 

stumbled  into  the  blunder  of  drawing  the  opposite  con- 
clusion." 

"  I  '11  tell  you  a  story  now  about  '  going  down,' "  said 
Clincher,  vainly  endeavoring  to  straighten  his  slouched 
features  into  a  degree  of  gravity  becoming  the  conver- 
sation he  was  adorning. 

•"  Old  Braddock :"  "  Haw !  haw !  haw ! "  burst  out  Swal- 
low, at  once.  Clincher  put  on  an  injured  expression. 

"Well  gentlemen  —  "  said  he  retiring. 

"  Go  on,  my  dear  fellow,  go  on  sir,"  said  Major  June. 

"  One  day  sir,"  said  Clincher,  addressing  himself  to 
the  major  exclusively,  but,  like  your  true  story-teller, 
taking  care  that  all  should  hear.  "  One  day  the  boys 
down  in  Essex  were  braggin'  how  deep  they  could  dive, 
and  how  long  they  could  stay  under,  and  Braddock,  who 
hated  boastin,'  (Clincher  seemed  to  believe  religiously 
in  this  trait  in  his  friend's  character.)  Braddock  he 
never  said  nothin'  till  they  'd  all  done.  "  Well  boys," 
said  he,  "  I  once  had  occasion  to  fetch  up  a  log  that  had 
sunk  in  five  fathom  water.  I  just  dove  down  to  the 
bottom  with  a  rope,  a  bearded  spike,  and  a  hammer ; 
and,  while  I  was  hammering  in  the  spike  down  there,  I 
fell  fast  asleep.  There,  boys,  I  slept  all  through  the 
summer,  and  didn  't  wake  up  till  in  the  fall  of  the  year. 
Old  Joe  Hunks,  the  fisherman,  came  a  spearin'  eels,  and 
stuck  his  spear  into  my  back,  that  woke  me  up,  and  I  came 
to  the  top  of  the  water  with  rope  and  hammer  in  my  hands." 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

CATCHING    A    TARTAR. 

She  is  so  well-behaved  and  virtuous,  and  something 
Snappish  withal  GOETHE. 

OLD  SOL  seized  the  first  opportunity  to  make  his  peace 
with  Faca.  It  was  when  the  cabin  was  deserted  hy  all 
except  himself,  that  he  stood  a  faithful  sentinel  over  her 
state-room  door,  till  she  appeared.  Rosy  with  the  hloom 
of  youth,  she  stepped  forth,  her  fine  figure  set  lightly 
in  a  frame-drapery  of  white  muslin. 

"  I  was  very  rude  to  you  yesterday,"  quoth  Old  Sol 
blushing  to  the  eyes. 

"  No  ruder  than  I  to  you,"  she  replied,  frankly  ex- 
tending her  hand. 

"  But  an  attack  like  mine  was  unpardonable." 

"  Then  I  pardon  it  for  that  very  reason." 

"  But  did  you  not  care  to  be  kissed  ?  "  asked  Sol  in 
a  slightly  disappointed  voice. 

Faca  blushed  deeply. 

"  You  are  ruder  now  than  yesterday,"  she  answered 
with  emotion. 

Old  Sol  felt  her  hand  withdrawing  from  his  own,  and 
clutched  at  it  convulsively  as  he  said 


178  FAG  A. 

"  Noble  creature  !  you  are  above  your  station  ! " 

But  the  hand  was  gone.  Faca  was  moving  away  in 
silence,  when  after  an  embarrassing  moment,  Old  Sol 
exclaimed  abruptly : 

"  That  book  !  would  you  like  to  read  it  ?  will  you 
lot  accept  it  ? ' 

."  O  thank  you ! "  she  cried  with  childish  eagerness. 

The  veteran  was  already  armed  with  the  book,  as  a 
reserve. 

"  Are  you  not  afraid  of  me  ?  "  inquired  old  Sol,  as  he 
handed  Faca  the  book. 

"  No.  The  officers  have  always  been  so  kind  to  my 
parents,  and  when  I  was  a  child  they  petted  me  so  much 
that  I  like  them  all,  and  look  upon  them  more  as  elder 
brothers,  or  old  uncles  than  any  thing  else." 

"  Elder  brothers  !  '  old  uncles  ! ' "  muttered  Sol  to 
himself. 

Faca  glanced  at  him  with  a  mischievous  look. 

"  But  do  you  not  feel  the  difference  of  rank,  the  want 
of  social  sympathy  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  You  are  determined  to  remind  me  of  them,  I  see," 
she  replied  coloring. 

"  You  might  guess  at  my  motive,"  said  Sol,  with  a 
look  of  admiration,  i,  e.  admiration  in  a  confused,  red 
state. 

"  My  education,  sir,  has  taught  me  the  difference 
between  false  shame  and  real  humility.  I  do  not  aspire 


CATCHING      A     TARTAR.  179 

to  anything  really  above  me,  and  I  do  not  feel  flattered 
by  condescension,"  was  Faca's  cruel  reply. 

"  I  dare  say  you  tbink  very  well  of  yourself,"  blur- 
ted out  the  indiscreet  Sol. 

Faca  laughed. 

"  I  shall  read  this  book  with  pleasure,"  she  said  gaily ; 
"  I  already  sympathize  with  the  poor  fisherman's  daugh- 
ter. Would  you  not  like  to  fancy  yourself  the  youth  ?  " 

Faca  again  started  to  go,  and  this  time  went. 

"  Coquette  !  vixen  !  Egad  I  've  caught  a  Tartar  ! " 
burst  from  the  lips  of  poor  Old  SoL 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

THE    CONSPIRATOR. 

"  You  don 't  suppose,"  protested  Corporal  Marshal 
against  something  the  drum-major  had  just  said,"  that 
he  intends  to  marry  her  ?  " 

«  Then  why  does  he  court  her  ?" 

"  0  !  officers  all  court,"  just  to  amuse  themselves." 

"  But  I  tell  you  he  is  not  one  of  the  trifling  sort. 
He  is  serious  in  every  thing  he  does.  He  wishes  either 
to  marry  her  or  take  her  as " 

"  Stay  !  Mr.  Bardolph ;  a  whisper  of  that  sort  would 
drive  me  to  distraction — the  thought  of  such  a  thing 
associated  with  Tier  name.  I  would  stah  any  man  to  the 
heart  that  dared " 

Mr.  Bardolph  smiled  as  he  thought  of  his  own  schemes. 
But  he  did  not  like  that  fierce  look  of  the  corporal,  and 
hastened  to  interrupt  him. 

"  Probably  he  wishes  to  marry  her.  Perhaps  they 
are  already  engaged.  I  saw  him  kiss  her  this  morning. 

«  What ! "  exclaimed  William,  «  Old  Sol  kiss  Faca  ?  " 

"  Yes,  kiss  her  !   a  kiss  is  no  great  thing,"  and  the 


THE      CONSPIRATOR.  181' 

drum-major  thought  of  his  own  unsuccessful   attempt, 
and  was  rather  disposed  now  to  undervalue  kisses. 

"  Pshaw  ! "  laughed  William  hysterically,  "  I  teaze 
her  ahout  an  officer-lover.  I  suffer  you  to  talk  ahout 
him  to  me,  but  I  don  7t  believe  a  word  of  it  alL" 

"  What,  that  he.  did  not  kiss  her  ?" 

"  Can  you  prove  that  ?  " 

"  Easily.  By  the  steward.  He  and  I  were  acciden- 
tally standing,"  (why  did  Mr.  Bardolph  emphasise  that 
word  "accidentally?")  "in  the  front  cabin,  when  we 
saw  the  lieutenant  enter  the  after  cabin.  Faca  was 
standing  at  her  state-room  door,  and  he  walked  up  and 
gave  her  a  kiss.  Shall  we  go  to  the  steward  ?  " 

"  No,  no,  I  believe  you.     I  believe  it  all  now. 
did  she  receive  it  ?  " 

"  Why  I  saw  her  stand  there  still ;  —  I  saw  her 
smile." 

"Smile!  O  death!" 

"Perhaps  now,  corporal,  you  are  ready  to  listen  to 
my  proposition,"  said  the  drum-major  looking  coldly  at 
his  victim. 

William  appeared  lost  in  his  emotions. 

What  do  you  say,  old  fellow?"  said  Bardolph  jog- 
ging his  companion  familiarly. 

"  No  no,"  replied  Marshal,  "  I  would  put  a  spider  in 

his  plate, no,  I  would  not  even  do  that  —  unless " 

he  added,  pausing. 

16 


182  FACA. 

"Come,  come,  comrade,  I  will  make  your  fortune. 
You  shall  be  an  officer,  of  Tank  too  —  plenty  of  women ; 
plenty  of  cash ;  a  man  of  consequence,  William  you  '11 
be  :  and  no  longer  a  poor  devil  of  a  common  soldier." 

Then  lowering  his  voice  almost  to  a  breath,  he  said : 
"  In  the  band-room,  at  ten  o'clock,  we  shall  all  meet  to 
talk  over  it.  Will  you  come  boy  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  no — I  do  not  know."  stammered  the  forlorn 
William. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

SEA    SPARKLES. 

THE  wind  next  day  was  more  favorable,  and  carried 
the  good  ship  Aldebaran  jollily  on  her  course.  Yet 
there  were  many  offenders  against  the  military  rules  — 
seven  unfortunates  marking  time  with  wry  faces  and 
ludicrous  irregularity  of  step.  The  fair  wind  had  a 
fine  effect  on  the  spirits  of  the  officers — they  stood  on 
the  quarter-deck,  making  sport,  it  must  be  confessed,  at 
the  expense  of  the  culprits. 

"  What  are  they  punished  for  ?  "  asked  the  surgeon. 

"  Oh,  for  sundry  and  divers  offences ;  bedding  not 
folded,  absent  from  drill,  disobedience  of  orders,  steal- 
ing, gluttony,  &c.,"  replied  the  officer  of  the  day. 

"Offences  against  the  deck-alogue,"  laughed  the 
surgeon. 

"  Yes,"  drawled  Nebulus  ;  "  but  you  are  confounding 
Leviticus  with  Numbers,  in  punishing  so  many." 

"  But  I  fear,"  said  the  surgeon,  "  you  will  complete 
their  « Exodus '  into  Texas,  ere  '  Numbers '  learn  their 
*  Duty-ronomy.' " 

"  Please  explain,"  gasped  Nebulus. 


184  FACA. 

"  Never  explain  puns,"  replied  the  surgeon ;  "  't  would 
be  pricking  soap  bubbles." 

"  Gentlemen,"  cried  Swallow,  "  it  is  too  bad  to  jest 
with  the  Scriptures." 

"  Do  you  believe  in  spiritual  manifestations  ?  "  asked 
Captain  Handsallaround,  of  Swallow. 

"  No  sir !  I  never  heard  of  a  spirit  that  had  any 
sense,  or  gave  any  account  of  himself  to  the  purpose." 

"  One  did  last  night,"  said  the  skipper. 

"How  was  it?" 

"Why,  you  see,  last  night  one  of  the  soldiers  had 
been  reporting  that  he  saw  the  ghost  of  George  on  his 
relief,  and  Major  June,  Lieutenant  Soldan  and  myself 
went  down  stairs  to  discuss  the  matter,  over  a  little  of 
the  « hair  curler.' "  A  sly  joke  of  the  skipper's  [at 
Swallow's  expense]  over  Jamaica  spirits. 

"O,  captain!"  cried  Swallow,  blushing,  "that's 
what  you  mean !  " 

"  No,  it 's  not.  But,  as  I  said,  we  were  discussing  the 
probabilities  of  ghosts,  and  fell  into  spiritual  rapping 
manifestations.  The  major  had  just  been  telling  one 
of  his  best  stories,  about  an  accordeon  crawling  up  his 
leg,  and  his  feeling  a  cold  clammy  hand,  while  sitting 
round  a  table  with  a  '  rapping  party.'  He  had  n't 
more  than  finished,  when  I  felt  a  mighty  cold  claw  on 
my  own  shank  that  made  me  shiver,  and  then  a  devil 
of  a  clutch  that  made  me  yell  with  fright  and  pain. 


SEA    SPARKLES.  185 

We  all  jumped  up.  But  what  the  deuce  it  was  no  one 
could  discover." 

"  There  ain't  no  cats  aboard  this  ere  ship,  are 
there  ?  "  said  Clincher  to  Nebulus,  winking  and  making 
the  most  atrocious  contortions  and  grimaces  with  his 
mouth. 

"  O,  no  !  nor  I  did  n't  see  Lion  chase  one  on  'em  into 
the  cabin  about  that  time  o'night,  did  I  ?  " 

And  Clincher  went  away  sticking  his  tongue  into  his 
cheek,  and  bobbing  his  head.  Clincher  always  walked 
off  after  venturing  a  remark.  It  was  very  convenient 
for  the  others.  He  went  when  the  knobby  point  of  his 
joke  came,  and  one  knew  when  to  laugh  —  which  is 
not  always  the  case  Avith  your  jokers. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  skipper,  "  would  n't  you  like 
to  try  a  bath  ?  There  is  a  bathing-room  attached  to 
my  state-room,  and  you  may  make  free  with  it  in  wel- 
come." 

"  Travellers  may  boast  of  bathing  in  Turkish  coun- 
tries, but  I  've  tried  it " 

"  Avast  heaving !  there,"  said  I,  "  with  your  scraping 
and  scalding  and  breaking  all  the  joints  in  a  man's 
body.  But  for  solid  comfort  give  me  a  bath  at  sea,  in 
just  about  these  latitudes  —  29  or  30.  None  of  your 
surf  bathing  either,  but  a  hundred  or  more  leagues  out 
and  away  from  the  shiny  shore." 

One  after  another  descended  to  the  bath,  and  came 


180  FACA. 

up  glowing  with  pleasure  —  genuine  sea  sparkles. 
The  water  was  pumped  up  by  soldiers,  and  poured  into 
a  bucket  on  the  quarter-deck,  which,  by  a  short  tube  in 
its  bottom,  let  the  water  run  into  a  pipe  communicating 
with  the  bathing-tub. 

The  troops  were  likewise  at  their  ablutions,  dancing 
all  over  the  ship  with  boyish  delight.  Even  Lion  came 
in  for  his  share.  But  it  was  necessary  to  hold  him  fast 
till  the  torrent  wet  to  the  skin,  when  he  would  roll  his 
shaggy  coat  on  the  deck  with  grave  enjoyment,  or  stand 
still  and  receive  the  refreshing  stream  with  still  more 
sober  satisfaction. 

At  noon,  two  little  pale  faces  were  peering  through  a 
window  of  the  after  cabin,  with  wistful  eye,  looking 
upon  the  well-covered  dinner  table. 

"  Poor  little  things ! "  said  Major  June,  in  a  soft, 
tender  whisper ;  "  here  are  some  cakes  and  sugar 
for  you." 

But  they  ran  away  frightened,  as  he  gently  ap- 
proached. 

"  I  always  pity  children  at  sea,"  remarked  the  skip- 
per. "  They  are  the  ones  that  suffer  most.  It  is  next 
to  impossible  to  get  them  their  proper  nourishment; 
and  then,  their  mothers  become  sea-sick  themselves,  and 
cannot  take  care  of  them.  Among  the  emigrants 
crossing  the  Atlantic,  many  a  little  white  corpse  is  sewed 


SEA      SPARKLES.  187 

up  in  a  blanket  or  shawl,  and  dropped  down  into  the 
sea." 

"  Do  the  soldiers  draw  rations  for  their  families  ?  " 
asked  he  of  the  commissary. 

"  Three  laundresses  are  allowed  to  each  company, 
and  they  draw  a  ration  apiece ;  beyond  that,  nothing." 

"  Many  of  the  soldiers  are  married,"  said  Major 
June,  "  and  they  all  would  be  if  they  could.  The 
rascals  !  some  of  them  have  a  dozen  wives  apiece,  scat- 
tered around  at  the  posts." 

"  Why,  sir,  that's  not  allowed,  is  it  ?  " 

"  No,  it 's  not  put  down  in  the  rules  and  articles  of 
war,  but  happens  nevertheless.  You  cannot  expect  all 
the  virtues  on  seven  dollars  a  month,  as  an  old  general 
said.  The  fact  is,  sir,  we  need  some  radical  change  in 
our  military  system.  The  married  state,  sir,  is  a  state 
for  which  man  was  born.  Put  him  in  it,  protect  him, 
surround  him  with  simple  home  comforts,  and  he  is  a 
better  citizen,  a  better  soldier/' 

"  You  had  better  set  up  nurseries  and  singing  schools 
at  once  in  the  army,"  drily  remarked  Old  Sol. 

"  No  I  won't ! "  replied  the  major,  warmly.  "  I  don't 
know  that  I  would  allow  more  married  men  in  the  ranks 
than  there  are  already.  But  those  few  I  would  render 
comfortable  and  happy  as  possible.  Why  are  the  officers 
so  much  better  contented  than  the  men  ?  Because  they 
have  their  social  system,  and  nothing  to  brag  of,  but 


188  FACA. 

tolerably  comfortable  quarters.  But  married  soldiers 
are  not  contemplated  in  the  scheme  of  the  army ; 
laundresses  are,  that  is,  so  many  -wash-tubs  to  a  com- 
pany. Christopher !  they  are  often  lodged  in  barrack- 
garrets,  or  bomb-proof  cellars  with  brick  floors ;  are  sel- 
dom thought  of  in  building  quarters,  and  have  few  con- 
veniences for  cooking,  or  any  other  civilized  appurtenance 
of  life.  Look  at  the  results.  A  garrison  is  considered 
a  disreputable  place  for  women  of  the  humble  yet 
honest  sort.  Your  soldier  has  no  relaxing,  no  refining, 
no  social  softening  influence  about  him,  and  is  a  noto- 
rious vagabond,  and  his  children  are  worse  than  he. 
Christopher!  that's  so!"  wound  up  the  hearty  major, 
with  a  punch  of  his  redoubtable  cane. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

SCURVY    TRICKS. 

"  This  wouldn  't  be  a  bad  place  to  sleep  such  a  night  as 
this,"  quoth  the  major  to  Junks. 
"  Yes  sir,  if  't  want  for  the  moon." 
"  Then  you  've  known  men  to  be  moon-struck  ?  " 
"  Yes  sir,"  replied  Junks  gravely,  "  one  young  man — 
he  was  sleeping  on  deck  with  his  mates,  when  they  came 
to  be  roused  up,  he  couldn  't  move  —  one  side  parazwzed, 
and  his  head  was  out  of  gear  ever  after  that,  when  the 
moon  came  round  to  the  same  quarter." 

"  Who  is  that  sleeping  in  the  quarter-boat  ?  " 
"  0,  that's  the  band-master ;  he  brings  his  things  up 
and  sweeps  in  the  boat — don't  know  why  :  perhaps  its 
more  comfortable,  or  perhaps  he  don't  jibe  well  with 
his  bunk-mate ;  that 's  Mr.  Bardolph,  I  think  the  sol- 
diers caw  him." 

"  But  you  don 't  think  the  moon  paralized  that  young 
fellow?" 

"  Don't  krfbw  sir,  but  that 's  the  way  it  happened.  I 
knew  another  chap  who  was  sweeping  on  deck  one  moon- 
?0ight  night  with  his  mouth  open.  When  he  'woke  one 


100  FACA. 

side  of  his  mouth  was  drawn  down:  he  never  could 
hitch  it  up  again.  Ha  !  ha  !  sir,  he  wooked  funny 
enough.  But  the  scurvy  is  the  worst  thing  at  sea, 
sir." 

"  Have  you  ever  had  it  ?" 

"  Never  but  once,  sir,  only  awong  the  cords  of  my  wega 
and  in  my  mouth  ;  gums  now  sore  from  it  sometimes. 
Some  chaps  have  it  mighty  bad  after  they  've  been  out 
eight  or  ten  months  without  fresh  —  works  up  to  their 
waists ;  if  it  gits  furder  up,  to  the  heart,  it  keels  'em 
over.  Some  has  it  in  their  mouth  till  their  gums  aw 
rot,  and  they  can  jist  haul  out  and  clap  in  their  teeth 
when  they  're  a  mind  to.  "  Ha  ha  !  one  fellow  cut  away 
his  gums  with  a  knife,  but  when  he  got  over  the  scurvy 
the  gums  didn  't  come  back,  and  thei'e  were  the  roots 
of  his  teeth  aw  showing,  sir.  Then,  again,  sometimes 
it  only  works  inwards;  don't  show  itself  on  the  skin, 
then  if  a  wand  (land)  breeze  happens  to  strike  the 
ship,  wook  out  !  We  had  a  man  with  it  once  inwardly. 
Well  when  we  got  into  Sag  Harbor,  you  see  it  was  a 
Sunday,  and  a  great  many  people  came  down  to  see 
their  friends,  and  those  they  knowed  on  board,  and 
greet  'em  after  the  long  voyage.  Among  others  was 
this  young  man's  brother.  He  brought  a  big  bunch  of 
roses  in  his  hand  to  give  him.  The  yeung  chap  was 
standing  there  at  the  wh'eel ;  his  brother  jumped  aboard 
and  came  up,  and  as  they  were  a  shakin'  hands  he  put 


SCURVY     TRICKS.  191 

the  roses  to  his  brother's  nose  to  smell,  and  he  'd  no 
sooner  smelt  'em  sir,  than  he  dropped  down  dead." 

"  Great  God,  mate  ! " 

"  Yes,  sir,  'twas  the  wand  breeze  in  them  roses  that 
killed  poor  Tom  Haw.  He  fell  right  down  in  his  tracks 
the  first  snuff." 

"  But  is  there  no  remedy  for  this  horrible  disease  ?  " 

"  Well  sir,  some  think  wime-juice  is  good ;  I  knew 
one  fellow  was  cured  by  it ;  but  the  old  man  gave  him 
aw  there  was,  and  the  rest  had  none  when  it  broke  out 
on  us.  —  But  sometimes  they  bury  them." 

"  Bury  them." 

"  Yes  sir ;  as  I  said  before,  it  begins  at  the  feet  and 
runs  up.  They  puts  'ern  in  a  hole  in  the  ground,  and 
fills  in  the  earth  up  to  their  waists,  and  the  earth  draws 
the  disease  out." 

"  Dear  old  mother  earth  ! "  said  Major  June. 

"  You  ought  to  hear  the  poor  devils  shriek  with  them 
yells  they  make,  as  the  pain  is  drawing  out  of  them. 
Another  good  remedy,  sir,  I  've  known,  is  lean  strips  of 
whale  flesh  wrapped  taut  all  around  the  body.  That 
draws  the  scurvy  out  too."  ° 

0  "  The  great  cause  of  this  disease,"  says  Elliston  in  his  'Prac- 
tice of  Physic,'  appears  to  be  the  want  of  fresh  animal  and  vege- 
table food.  It  is  on  this  account  that  the  disease  was  formerly 
very  common  at  sea,  for,  at  one  period  sailors  were  supported  with 
nothing  but  salt  provisions. " 

From  the  same  source  we  learn  that,  "In  1726,  when  Admiral 
Hosier  sailed  to  the  West  Indies  with  seven  ships,  he  buried  his 


192  FACA. 

Notwithstanding  this  and  other  dangers  attending 
whaling,  the  worthy  Junks  was  soon  regretting  to  the 
major  that  he  did'nt  "stay  a  whalin'. " 

"  I  'd  a  been  rich,"  said  he,  "  for  the  very  ship  on 
which  I  could  have  gone  out  next  trip  as  second  mate, 
brought  home  five  thousand  barrels  of  oil ;  my  share 
would  have  been  two  thousand  dollars.  I  might  ha' 
married  that  ere  gaw  of  mine  on  the  spot.  I  dreamed 
about  that  ere  g&w  again  last  night,  sir,  and  she  looked 
so  squally  I  'm  feared  something 's  goin'  to  happen." 

ship's  company  twice,  and  then  died  himself  of  a  broken  heart. 
Deaths  to  the  amount  of  eight  or  ten  a  day  took  place  formerly  in 
a  moderate  ship's  company.  The  bodies  after  being  sown  up  in 
hammocks  were  washed  about  the  decks  for  want  of  sufficient 
strength  on  the  part  of  the  survivors  to  throw  them  overboard. 

"Lord  Anson,  in  the  year  1741,  lost  one  half  of  his  crew  by  scurvy, 
in  six  months.  Out  of  nine  hundred  and  sixty-one  men,  who 
sailed  with  him,  only  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  were  alive  at 
the  end  of  the  year,  and  at  the  end  of  the  second  year  only  seven- 
tyone  were  fit  for  the  least  duty." 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

THE    BANDMASTER    SLEEPS    AND    WAKES. 

SHORTLY  after  the  conversation  detailed  in  the  last 
pages,  the  major  went  below  and  "turned  in."  He 
could  not  have  been  asleep  long  before  he  was  awakened 
by  the  voice  of  a  sharp  quick  shuffle  of  footsteps  over- 
head, on  the  quarter-deck.  Hurriedly  dressing  himself, 
he  was  in  a  moment  on  the  deck.  The  guard,  and  all 
the  members  of  the  watch,  together  with  the  skipper, 
were  standing  around  in  a  thick,  jostling  group,  eagerly 
listening  to  Junks. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  inquired  Major  June. 

"  The  bandmaster,  sir,"  replied  Junks  in  a  dejected 
voice,  "  soon  after  you  went  below,  you  see,  he  awoke, 
and  said  the  moon  was  shining  mighty  hard  on  him. 
Well,  he  stood  with  me  right  here,  looking  over  the  side 
of  the  ship,  and  talked,  poor  gentleman,  about  his 
country  and  his  friends  at  home,  you  see.  He  must  be 
an  exile,  or  something.  Suddenly  he  asked  me  '  liadn  *t 
we  better  jump  overboard  and  swim  ashore  ?r " 
17 


194  FACA. 

"  Swim  ashore  ! "  says  I,  "  what  for  ?  " 

"  Why  ! "  says  he  catching  hold  of  my  arm,  "  see 
there,  those  rocks  !  do  'nt  you  know  the  ship's  going  to 
pieces  ?  My  poor  fiddle  ! "  says  he  a  crying.  Then 
it  just  struck  me  what  was  the  matter  with  him —  sweep- 
ing in  the  moon. 

"  No,"  says  I,  "  you  're  dreaming." 

Then  I  took  hold  and  shook  him,  and  talked,  and 
turned  off  his  thoughts,  and  afraid  to  let  him  go  below, 
as  he  might  slip  back  again  and  do  something  dreadful, 
I  told  him  to  lie  down  in  the  quarter-boat,  and  go  to 
sweep  again.  He  laid  down,  after  a  while,  and  I  covered 
his  face  and  head  with  my  coat.  I  saw  him  fast  asweep 
when  I  went  forward  to  rouse  out  the  second  watch,  but 
I  'd  scarce  got  to  the  main-mast  when  the  wheelsman 
sung  out  — 

"  Man  overboard  ! " 

"  I  ran  back  and  sprang  to  the  wheel,  jammed  it  round, 
fetched  the  wessel  to,  and  set  her  all  a-back  ;  but  it  was 
too  late  sir  ;  'fore  we  could  let  down  the  boat,  I  saw  him 
sink/' 

"  I  saw  him  sink,"  repeated  Junks,  wiping  his  eyes 
with  the  sleeve  of  his  shirt,  "  and  the  moon  shining 
bright  on  his  head.  I  saw  him  going  under  water  with 
his  feet  downwards  as  though  a  shot  was  tied  to  them, 
standing  straight-like  in  the  water ;  down  he  went ; 


THE      BANDMASTER.  195 

only  his  arms  moved,  as  though   he  was   playing  the 
fiddle." 

As  Junks  ceased  speaking,  the  group  of  listeners 
broke  up  and  retired  in  silence.  Among  them  was  Mr. 
Bardolph,  sorrow-stricken. 


CHAPTEE    XL. 

HOLE    IN    THE    WALL. 

LAND  ho! 

The  coast  of  Abaco  next  morning  lay  on  the  star- 
board bow.  The  name  is  applied  to  a  group  of  islands 
small,  low,  narrow,  sandy.  They  belong  to  England  — 
and  the  wreckers.  All  vessels  making  the  Gulf  from 
the  North  must  round  them.  There  is  a  wrecker  now, 
sailing  peacefully  along,  between  two  islets.  It  looks 
like  a  pilot-boat. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  most  hazardous  coasts  in  the 
world,"  said  the  skipper.  "Every  year  it  is  strewn 
with  wrecks,  and  this  year  has  already  given  its  full 
share.  The  reefs  are  sharp  and  rocky,  and  plenty  of 
them.  The  currents  are  numerous,  and  no  dependence 
to  be  placed  upon  them  —  now  scud  you  this  way,  now 
that.  You  steer  for  Hole-in-the-Wall,  and  when  you 
feel  most  certain,  you  find  yourself  drifted  off  fifty 
miles,  or  come  smack  upon  a  reef,  and  go  to  pieces. 
That  was  the  fate  of  the  British  ship  Gallant,  last 
year." 


HOLE      IN      THE      WALL.  197 

Fortunately  for  the  Aldebaran  she  made  the  coast  in 
the  day-time,  as  the  skipper,  with  all  his  cautious  allow- 
ances, and  the  mate,  with  the  certainty  of  his  own. 
peculiar  "  dead  reckoning,"  found  themselves  carried 
ten  leagues  from  their  course.  Now,  under  easy  can- 
vass, they  skirt  along,  standing  out  a  league  or  more 
from  the  treacherous  coast. 

"  Trees !  houses ! !  plantations ! ! ! "  cried  Major  June, 
looking  through  the  spy-glass.  "  To  think  such  out-of- 
the-way  places  inhabited  ! " 

"  Mostly  by  wreckers,"  said  the  skipper.  "  There 
are  said  to  be  one  or  two  fine  sugar  plantations  on  the 
chief  island." 

"  I  Ve  no  doubt,"  quoth  Old  Sol,  "  these  people 
think  themselves  quite  in  the  world.  The  people  of 
Kamschatka  think  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States 
arc  outside  barbarians,  and  despise  them  accordingly." 

"  I  don't  see  the  lighthouse,"  said  the  skipper. 

Now  Clincher  saw  it,  and  now  he  swore  it  was  dis- 
tant forty  miles. 

"  It  stands  on  a  bluff,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  And  there  is  the  bluff,"  said  Major  June. 

A  tall  dark  object  loomed  out  of  the  hazy  coast,  but 
as  the  ship  approached,  it  mingled  with  the  hills,  and 
the  coast  still  pointed  away  further  south.  At  last, 
afar  beyond  where  the  land  apparently  terminated,  a 


198  FAG  A. 

tall  slender  object  might  be  discerned,  like  a  chalk- 
mark  on  the  mist. 

"  That's  it,"  said  the  skipper,  confidently ;  and  put- 
ting his  hands  in  his  breeches  pocket  with  satisfaction, 
he  led  the  way  to  dinner.  Then  coming  back  on  deck, 
they  took  the  Hole-in-the-Wall,  by  way  of  dessert. 

There  was  the  Wall —  black,  vertical,  prison-like. 
A  huge  detached  rock  stands  off  the  promontory, 
spanned  by  a  heavy  Saxon  arch,  under  which  rushes, 
and  dashes,  and  gurgles,  the  big  angry  waves  —  that  is 
the  Hole. 

Following  up  the  back-bone  of  the  promontory  to  a 
sort  of  bluffy  eminence,  the  eye  comes  upon  the  light- 
house, of  a  weather-beaten,  red  color ;  and  behind  it  a 
little  group  of  buildings  —  one  of  which  has  a  cozy 
verandah.  Near  the  house  is  a  high  pole,  from  which 
as  the  ship  comes  abreast,  the  cross  of  St.  George  is 
seen  to  fly. 

"  Eun  up  our  colors  to  the  peak,"  ordered  the  captain. 

As  the  beautiful  folds  of  the  red,  white  and  blue 
shook  out  in  the  wind,  "  three  times  three  "  went  up 
from  those  hundreds  of  brave  men,  and  the  band  played 
a  national  air. 

Turning  this  "  Cape  of  Good  Hope,"  the  Aldebaran 
squared  away  to  the  West,  and  plowed  on  straight  before 
the  wind.  The  red  lighthouse  fell  a  moment  behind  a 
hill,  reappeared,  and  gradually  sank  out  of  sight.  A 


HOLE      IN      THE      WALL.  199 

tall  ship  was  passed,  and  dropped  slowly  behind,  follow- 
ing in  the  Avake  of  our  winged  courser,  with  her  sails 
set  square,  and  studding-sails  put  out,  giving  her  the 
look  of  a  high-petticoated  Dutch  vrow,  with  two  milk- 
pails.  And  ere  the  sun  sank  into  the  sea,  the  Dutch- 
woman was  drowned. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

THE    ISAACS. 

A  BETE  !  A  bite  ! 

Clincher  sprang  to  the  taffrail,  from  which  two  lines 
had  been  hung  out,  and  came  tagging  after  the  ship 
and  skipping  over  the  waters.  Balancing  himself  as 
best  he  might,  Clincher  hauled  away  rapidly.  A  sharp 
dorsal  fin  stood  out  from  the  waters. 

"  A  shark ! "  cries  one. 

"  No,  a  dolphin ! "  cries  another. 

"  Neither !  "  said  the  skipper. 

Up  it  came,  a  beautiful  rainbow  of  a  fellow,  well 
called  "  Bonita,"  i.  e.,  beautiful,  weighing  twenty  pounds. 
While  the  creature  was  flapping  and  floundering  on 
deck,  Snowball  came,  and  planting  his  hands  on  his 
knees,  he  bent  over  the  fish,  with  his  eyes  wild  with  the 
white  dilation. 

"  Out  of  the  way ! "  cried  Clincher,  "  you  woolly 
rascal !  he  'd  sooner  bite  a  young  nigger  than  anything 
else." 

Away  scampered  Snowball  frightened.  On  reaching 
the  pantry  he  began  to  scratch  at  his  head  —  for, 


THE      ISAACS.  201 

according  to  the  veracious  Clincher,  it  was  necessary  to 
begin  that  performance  an  hour  before  he  could  get 
through  the  wool  and  cause  a  sensation,  or  as  was  now 
the  case,  reach  to  a  thought. 

"  'D  rather  bite  a  nigger  than  a  white  man,"  solilo- 
quized Snowball,  with  indignation. 

"  Pshaw !  wait  till  I  get  that  'ere  mate  in  New  York, 
wid  the  Fulton  Market  boys ! " 

Snowball  was  somewhat  under  a  cloud  to-day.  A 
watch  had  disappeared  from  the  knapsack  of  a  drum- 
mer-boy, and  our  little  colored  friend  was  suspected. 
To  be  sure,  diligent  search  was  made  in  his  pantry  and 
cupboard,  bunk  and  bedding,  without  result,  but  Snow- 
ball might  well  exclaim  with  the  persecuted  Cassio  — 

"Reputation!  reputation!  reputation!  I  have  lost  my  repu- 
tation, I  have  lost  the  immortal  part,  sir,  of  myself,  and  what 
remains  is  bestial." 

"  See  ! "  said  Major  June,  that  evening,  "  The  summer 
lightning  is  dancing  a  hornpipe ;  no,  a  jig  !  It  is  all 
around  over  the  horizon." 

"  Now  a  streak  balances  up  to  Orion,  crosses  over  to 
Venus,  and  chassecs  with  Cassiopea." 

"Now,"  continued  the  old  soldier,  gazing  intently, 
"  there  is  a  general  set  to,  a  star  cotillion,  North,  South; 
East  and  West,  sir  !  How  the  shy  little  sisters  wink  ? 
and  how  soberly  the  matronly  moon  looks  ?  The  breeze 
plays  them  the  violin,  and  the  distant  thunder  in  yon 


202  F  A  C  A . 

black  cloud,  like  a  negro  fiddler  in  a  dark  corner,  booms 
away  on  his  bass  viol." 

"And  what  a  clatter  the  ducks  make,"  remarked 
Clincher.  "  They  know  we  've  neared  the  land  as  well 
as  anybody." 

The  major,  thus  interrupted,  left  off  describing  the 
star  cotillion,  and  as  he  went  below  the  mate  made  sig- 
nificant grimaces,  and  tapped  his  forehead  with  his  hard 
finger. 

It  is  so  queer,  that  the  hardest  thing  in  this  world  to 
understand  is  pure  simplicity,  such  as  the  major's. 

The  light  of  the  morning  sun  broke  upon  Great  Isaac, 
the  chief  of  a  series  of  rocks  that  skirt  the  Bahama 
Banks  in  the  Northeast.  The  ship  had  laid  to,  fearful 
of  approaching  these  dangerous  islets  in  the  night ; 
and  raising  sail  again  at  day-break,  had  passed  Little 
Isaac.  The  troops  behold  here  a  jagged  rock  partly  out 
of  water,  and  there  another,  discoverable  only  from  the 
white  spray  that  dashes  up  from  it,  gleaming  with  a 
sort  of  savage  joy. 

A  few  miles  below  Great  Isaac,  stood  out  "  Hen  and 
Chickens,"  like  the  others,  isolated  in  the  midst  of  the 
sea.  Around  all  these  little  islets  there  is  a  great 
depth  of  waters,  and  nothing  can  hinder  a  vessel  from 
splitting  at  once  upon  them.  With  these  on  one  side, 
and  the  Gulf  Stream  on  the  other,  to  drift  you  up  — 


THE     ISAACS.  203 

Scylla  and  Chary  bdis —  the  passage  for  a  sail- vessel 
into  the  Gulf  is  narrow  and  dangerous. 

"  I  should  think  a  lighthouse  were  needed  here,  above 
all  other  places,"  said  the  major  to  the  skipper. 

"That's  so,"  replied  the  latter,  "and  our  govern- 
ment has  offered  to  put  one  on  Great  Isaac;  but  the 
British  government,  with  the  spirit  of  a  dog  in  the 
manger,  refuse  either  to  erect  one  themselves,  or  to  let 
us  do  it ;  it  is  surprising  even,  that  they  suffer  those 
sea-gulls  to  build  their  nests  in  such  numbers;  —  such  is 
the  jealousy  of  the  great  naval  power  !  The  wreckers 
you  see  prowling  like  beasts  of  prey  in  all  directions  can 
best  appreciate  John  Bull's  churlishness.  It  is  life  to 
them." 

"  Feesh.  !  feesh  ! "  broke  in  the  wheelsman,  a  Nor- 
wegian. 

Captain  Handsall  around  seized  the  line,  but  fast  as 
he  drew,  and  fast  as  the  vessel  was  sailing,  the  fish  swam 
faster,  and  came  alongside. 

"  Out  of  the  way  now  ! "  said  the  skipper  as  he 
gathered  himself  for  a  last  jerk. 

"  Here  it  is  !  no,  not  yet  —  a  rope  in  the  way ;  now 
she  comes,"  and  over  the  bulwarks  and  down  upon  the 
deck,  floundered  a  dolphin.  His  back  was  of  the  darkest 
emerald  green,  his  sides  and  belly  were  of  a  dazzling 
gold,  covered  with  spots  of  blue,  purple  and  silver ;  his 
whole  surface  shimmering,  and  changing  hues.  Bleed- 


204  FAG  A. 

ing,  alas,  too  freely,  he  soon  flashed  out  his  brilliant  ex- 
istenc?. 

"  '  Tis  a  pitieous  sight,"  said  Major  June,  mournfully 
gazing  at  the  beautiful  creature  as  the  hues  of  death 
chased  each  other  over  him.  The  dying  dolphin  is  not 
a  sight  to  be  witnessed  with  pleasure,  much  less  poetic 
rapture.  As  the  death-pangs  cause  him  to  writhe  with 
agony,  he  gasps  and  glares  hiedously  upon  you,  mutely 
reproaching  and  meekly  dying,  yet  beautiful  in  his  con- 
vulsive throes.  Then  came  the  Bimini  Islands,  a  low- 
sand  group,  on  one  of  which  was  a  wrecker  settlement, 
where  sweet  potatoes,  lemons,  and  oranges  grew,  for  the 
rain  descends  and  the  warm  sun  shines  on  all  alike. 
Then  followed  a  series  of  keys,  or  rocky  ledges,  which 
lie  off  the  southern  extremity  of  Florida,  like  a  chevaux- 
de-frise. 

"  As  if  her  vile  swamps  and  Seminole  everglades 
deserved  protection  ! "  exclaimed  Old  Sol. 

A  British  light-house  appeared  upon  Gew  Key. 

And  here  the  skipper's  brow  grew  dark,  as  he  noticed 
an  unfavorable  change  in  the  wind 

" That  praying  in  the  cabin,"  said  Clincher,  "  that's 
what  caused  it." 

The  zealous  Swallow  and  the  devout  major  had 
assembled  the  officers,  camp-women,  and  as  many  others 
as  chose  to  attend,  to  listen  to  the  church  service. 
There  were  Faca  and  the  Trainor's,  and  Corporal  Mar- 


THE      ISAACS.  205 

shal,  and  Mr.  Bardolph  with  his  distinct  "  amen  ! "  but 
not  the  old  duenna  —  she  was  alone,  counting  her  beads 
with  God  and  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

And  from  sudden  death  "  Good  Lord  deliver  us,"  Mr. 
Bardolph  prays. 

But  towards  evening  the  skipper's  brow  cleared  up  as 
the  wind  hauled  back  again.  "  I  wouldn  't  have  been 
carried  up  the  Gulf  Stream  for  thousands  of  dollars," 
said  he. 

"Nor  I  for  a  million,"  whispered  Junks,  "  for  my 
gaw>  's  only  waiting  for  me  to  get  back,  to  be  spliced  on." 

The  same  destiny  that  parted  Captain  Handsallaround 
from  his  young  wife  and  children,  tore  honest  Junks 
from  his  sweetheart.  The  heart  of  humanity  is  like  the 
throb  of  the  sea,  beating  oft  unheard,  unseen,  unknown. 

"  Here 's  a  health  to  the  outward  bound  ! "  played 
the  band,  and  all  went  to  rest  save  the  sentry  and  watch. 
18 


CHAPTEK  XLII. 

A  SQUALL  ON  THE  FLORIDA  REEFS. 

And  this  is  in  the  night :  —  Most  glorious  night  1 
Thou  wert  not  sent  for  slumber  !   let  me  be 
A  sharer  in  the  fierce  and  far  delight,  — 
A  portion  of  the  tempest  and  of  thee  ! 

BYRON. 

THE  following  day  was  squally.  There  was  a  sort  of 
feverish  restiveness  in  the  air,  breaking  out  perpetually 
into  squalls.  It  was  hot  squall,  cold  squall,  cloudy 
squall,  sun  squall,  windy  squall,  rain  squall,  and  squall 
squall,  all  day  long.  Just  at  night  the  wind  changed, 
and  then  came  the  worst  squall.  In  the  language  of 
Junks,  "  it  first  looked  like  a  nigger's  head,  a  little, 
round,  black  haw,  it  travelled  like  chain-lightning,  and 
blew  like  everlastin'." 

The  crew  had  scarcely  time  to  take  in  the  light  sails 
before  it  struck  the  ship. 

Then  the  skipper's  orders,  the  sailors'  answers,  the 
volleys  of  Clincher  and  Junks'  oaths,  the  rattling  of 
ropes,  the  flapping  of  sails,  the  hurly-burly  of  troops, 
the  roar  of  winds,  the  thunder  of  waves;  but  the 
tongues  ! 

"  Ready  about !  " 


THE      FLORIDA      REEFS.  207 

"  Hard-a-lec  ! " 

"  Let  go  and  haul !  " 

"  How  docs  she  head  ?  " 

"  North-east-by-east,  sir  ! " 

There  came  on  such  a  din  of  innarmonious  sounds  as 
a  whole  frantic  city  would  make,  clapping  their  doors 
and  window-shutters  to  and  fro,  amid  many  voices, 
laughing  and  shrieking  through  the  midnight  air. 

There  were  clew-lines,  halyards,  main-top-braces,  fight- 
ing with  such  rude  discords  as 

"Hell-fire!" 

"  Ay-yi,  sir  ! " 

"  Soldiers,  go  below  !  " 

"  Stop  shouting  !  Who  the  devil  can  give  or  hear  an 
order  ?  "  with  an  accompaniment  kept  up  in  a  lively 
way  on  the  part  of  jib-booms,  top-sails,  quacking  ducks, 
squealing  pigs,  bawling  officers,  sea  raging,  wind  howl- 
ing, men  chorusing,  and  above  all,  the  dire  little  man 
with  a  voice,  domineered  with  a  crashing  contralto,  that 
rose,  ever  and  anon,  above  the  wild  tumult  —  rose  supe- 
rior to  every  emergency. 

Then  bewildered  soldiers  were  frightened.  They 
echoed  every  command,  and  seized  hold  on  every  wrong 
rope,  till  the  skipper  stamped  his  foot  fiercely,  and 
demanded  in  no  gentle  terms  that  they  should  all  turn 
in.  Then  rose  the  shrill  and  sudden  tattoo,  and  the 
men  were  driven  down  below  like  cattle  to  their  pcnfolds. 


208  F  A  C  A  . 

The  Tortugas  lay  off  the  starboard  quarter.  This 
was  the  last  of  the  Florida  Reefs,  and  the  skipper  was 
anxious  to  go  by  and  enjoy  the  safe  sea-room  of  the 
gulf.  The  change  of  wind  occurred  with  the  Tortugas 
Light  in  view,  and  it  was  now  necessary  to  put  about 
and  fly  before  the  squall,  away  from  the  dangerous 
neighborhood.  What  was  the  consternation  of  all  when 
the  ship  refused  to  wear  around.  There  was  one  other 
resource  —  to  box-haul  her.  The  yards  were  set  square 
aback,  and  the  wind  drove  her  through  the  water  rudder 
foremast,  fast,  thrillingly  fast,  towards  the  dreadful  reef. 
It  whistled  fiercely,  and  the  ropes  cracked  their  whips, 
and  on  she  flew.  The  skipper  watched  with  intense 
anxiety.  By  the  occasional  flash  of  lightning  he  now 
beheld  breakers.  Still  the  stern  refuses  to  go  round. 
He  gives  a  quick  order  to  Clincher,  who,  with  the  men 
execute  it  with  like  rapidity.  The  sails  move  as  it 
were  in  a  body,  only  a  few  inches  on  the  wind,  and  at 
the  last  moment,  the  ship  was  successfully  box-hauled. 
She  turned  away  from  the  breakers  and  sped  on  her 
new  track.  Again  the  wind  changed  to  fair,  and  the 
Aldebaran  was  on  the  broad  Gulf. 


CHAPTER     XLIII. 

THE    MEXICAN    SEA. 

THE  novelty  and  excitement  of  watching  land  and 
reefs  was  now  over.  Not  a  rock  reared  its  shark-like 
jaws  in  the  morning  as  Major  June  came  cheerily  on 
deck  humming  — 

"  The  sea,  the  sea,  the  open  sea  !  " 

Lighthouses,  land,  with  its  green  back-ground  and 
sunny  beach,  wild  wreckers'  tenements,  with  their  sparse 
growth  of  tropical  trees,  beacons,  breakers,  and  sand- 
bars, were  all  left  behind. 

"  Farewell  ! "  said  the  rosy  major,  "  to  the  Florida 
Reefs,  and  the  Bahama  Banks,  farewell  to  their  cur- 
rents and  squalls,  to  their  wreckers  and  green  turtle, 
a  long  farewell." 

"  Beautiful  ! "  he  continued.  "  let  the  sea-shell  sleep 
in  the  clear  water  below  with  the  geraniums  of  the 
rocks,  or  sing  to  the  dolphins  that  glide  above  them ; 
I  would  never  again  disturb  their  sunny  enjoyment." 

The  wind  was  light,  sometimes  falling  away  entirely, 
leaving  a  feverish,  panting  calm,  yet  preferable  to  the 
hot  July  weather  on  shore. 

The  gulf-breeze  at  times,  chiefly  night,  comes  with  a 

18° 


210  FACA. 

soft,  liquid  breath,  filling  the  lungs  as  with  the  halm  of 
flowers  growing  in  cool  grottos ;  or  with  an  occasional 
puff  of  sweetness,  faint  and  fresh,  as  if  a  lady  passed 
you  with  her  scented  fan  or  delicately  perfumed  hand- 
kerchief. 

In  truth,  above  all  sea-breezes,  it  is  to  be  preferred, 
reminding  you  of  sweet  flowers  and  fair  ladies. 

And  there  the  sky  is  tinted  with  the  flush  of  orange 
and  promegranate  groves.  And  the  dark  rich  green 
of  the  olive  it  shadowed  on  the  cheek  of  the  sea. 

There  the  flying-fish  sport  through  air,  like  the  spray 
of  silver  waves,  and  the  sea  sparrows  twitter  as  they 
skim  along  over  the  sparkling  surface.  And  the  fish 
below  reflect  the  sunset  in  their  hues.  Dolphin  and 
bonita,  Spanish  mackarel  and  baracoota,  are  all  so 
beautiful,  you '  think  they  must  have  come  from  the 
rivers  that  flowed  through  the  Garden  of  Eden.  They 
sport  and  flash  in  the  warm  tide  as  if  they  knew  a  world 
without  sin. 

"  Sir,"  said  Major  June  to  Old  Sol,  "  this  grand  old 
gulf  reminds  me,  more  than  ever,  of  spiritual  influences. 
The  silent,  far,  pale  moon  swaying  the  tides  ;  the  stream 
that  issues  hence  and  penetrates  far  among  the  icebergs  ; 
this  sweet  breeze  that  cometh,  whence  no  man  knoweth, 
but  passing  not  into  nothingness,  refreshes  the  heart  of 
man  ;  the  bright  stars  that  guide  and  light  the  ventur- 
some  mariner,  all  draw  the  mind  up,  sir,  up  to  some 
principle  in  nature,  superior  to  matter." 


THE      MEXICAN      SEA.  211 

"  There  are  seasons,  I  suppose,  when  the  Mexican  Sea 
is  less  attractive,  when  hurricanes  and  northers  vex  its 
deep  bosom  and  it  rises  with  a  shout  and  turns  man  to 
destruction." 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  the  Gulf  reminds  me  of,"  said 
Clincher  to  Old  Sol,  in  a  whisper,  "  and  1 7ve  crossed  it 
many  a  time  —  squalls,  hurricanes,  and  sharks,  sir." 


CHAPTEE  XLIV. 

THE  SERGEANT'S  DAUGHTER. 

HAVING,  with  the  assistance  of  Captain  Handsall- 
around,  cleverly  carried  the  ship  Aldeharan  around  the 
Florida  capes,  and  seen  her  fairly  at  sea  again,  we  may 
now  renew  our  intercourse  with  Faca  and  her  friends. 
Her  character  may  have  already  perplexed  critics  of  the 
stereotype  order ;  but,  as  it  is  drawn  from  real  life,  we 
gently  defy  them  !  We  may  still  more  perplex  them, 
for  nature  ever  perplexes  the  craft  of  critics. 

"Till  fools  condemn  and  judges  praise, 
The  poet  hath  not  earned  his  bays!" 

Yet  the  genuine  critic,  judging  not  with  plummet  and 
square  with  the  mind's  eye,  hut  wisely,  through  the  weak- 
nesses of  his  own  heart  will  do  Faca  justice.  Faca 
Trainor  was  a  little  goddess  in  disguise  ;  hut  an  Amer- 
ican goddess.  Yet  her  divinity  triumphed  over  the  schools 
—  primary,  high,  and  normal  —  and  she  was,  after 
all,  herself;  that  is  to  say,  an  humble,  hearty,  high- 
spirited  girl,  liking  William  Marshal,  fearing  and  hat- 


I 


THE  SERGEANT'S  DAUGHTER.   213 

ing  Mr.  Bardolph,  and  flattered  and  amused  by  queer, 
bashful  Old  Sol.  And  now,  behold  another  lover  at  her 
feet !  even  our  simple  friend,  Swallow. 

"  Miss  Faca,"  said  he,  standing  near  her  state-room 
door,  pale  and  agitated  — 

"I  —  I  have  made  a  bet  about  you  ! " 

"  Sir,"  said  Faca  coldly,  with  a  stare. 

"  Yes,  yes,  ma'am." 

Faca  smiled. 

"It  seems  to  trouble  you  very  much,  Mr.  Swallow ; 
what  is  it?" 

"Why,  1  have  bet  with  Neb  —  Mr.  Nebulus  I  mean, 
—  that  I  could  kiss  you." 

Poor  Swallow  nearly  fainted,  Faca  turned  pale  and 
cold  as  a  Grecian  statue. 

"  Good  morning,  sir,"  said  the  maiden,  opening  her 
state-room  door. 

"  O  do  not,  do  not  go !  please  listen,  Miss  Faca ;  I 
mean  no  offence." 

"  What !  to  bet  about  me  ?  "  He  took  hold  of  her 
dress  gently  and  she  remained. 

"Docs  Lieutenant  Soldan  know  of  this,  sir?" 

The  maiden  blushed  deeply  at  this  implied  relation. 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

Faca  turned  suddenly  pale  again. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  how  it  happened.  Mr.  Soldan  was  say- 
ing, in  reply  to  some  bantering  of  Mr.  Nebulus',  that 


214  FACA. 

you  were  different  from  all  other  soldiers'  children.  I 
said  I  thought  so  too ;  but  believed  I  could  kiss  you, 
and  bet  my  commission  on  it." 

"  Then  resign,  Mr.  Swallow." 

"  0,  Miss  Faca,  I  see,  —  I  saw  just  now  how  much  I 
had  mistaken  you.  We,  young  officers,  think  we  can  do  ^ 
anything  with  the  girls  in  the  way  of  fun.  Had  I  re- 
flected a  moment  I  should  not  have  staked  my  commis- 
sion so  lightly.  If  you  will  let  me,  Miss  Faca,  I  will 
marry  you ;  for  if  I  resign,  my  father  is  such  a  proud, 
violent  man,  he  would  never  see  my  face  again." 

Faca  was  astonished.  Such  was  the  veneration  she 
entertained  towards  the  officers,  that  they  seemed  fa- 
thers to  her,  all,  old  and  young  ;  but  here  was  one  stam- 
mering, and  pleading,  and  offering  himself,  as  if  for  a 
whipping  or  martyrdom. 

And  Swallow  read  prayers  too  !  Old  Sol  had  made 
no  less  a  fool  of  himself. 

Now,  Mr.  Plummet  and  Square  Critic,  what  would 
you  do  ? 

Faca  bent  down  her  white  beautiful  face,  and  Mr. 
Swallow  drew  near  with  his  quivering  lip  ;  he  took  her 
hand  and  paused  diffidently,  then  exclaimed,  as  if  his 
soul  burst  forth  upon  the  breath, 

"  No  !  I  will  resign  first." 

"  Tell  them  ! "  cried  Faca,  rashly  flinging  her 
cold  arms  around  the  youngster's  neck,  "  tell  them, 


THE  SERGEANT'S  DAUGHTER.    215 

that  Paca  Trainor  not  only  let  you  kiss  her,  but  kissed 
you." 

"And  that  I  shall  marry  her  in  preference  to  a 
queen." 

"  No,"  she  said,  recovering  her  composure,  "  no,  we 
never  must  speak  to  each  other  again."  And  the  young 
American  goddess  flitted  away. 

Good  Mr.  Critic,  please  go  to  the • 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

NEXT    CHAPTER. 


•Alone  and  dewy,  coldly  pure  and  pale, 
As  weeping  beauty's  cheek." 


YES,  go  to  the next  chapter,  sir. 

Open  softly  Faca's  door.  See  her  on  her  knees  weep- 
ing, and  sobbing  convulsively,  as  though  her  young 
strong  heart  would  break.  See  the  face  red  with  shame, 
burning  with  indignation,  yet  self-reproach.  She  re- 
flected on  her  peculiar  situation.  Rising,  she  tossed 
back  her  wild  dark  flood  of  hair  and  looked  in  the 
mirror. 

"  Yes,"  said  Faca,  "  I  am  beautiful  indeed.  Detested 
face  !  shameful  locks !  And  well  educated  too,  fitted  to 
shine  in  the  conversation  of  wise,  good,  learned  men. 
Yet,  fixed  in  caste,  as  a  common  soldier's  daughter; 
looked  down  upon  with  pity  by  one  ;  bet  upon  as  a  fast 
nag  would  be,  by  another ;  tolerated  while  my  beauty  and 
virtue  last,  then  to  be  flung  away  as  a  camp\voman !  O 
God  ! "  she  cried,  "  protection,  pity,  aid,  aid ! " 

By  the  handful  she  would  have  torn  out  her  dishev- 
elled hair.  She  seized  her  white,  tear-stained,  vet 


NEXT     CHAPTER.  217 

lovely  cheeks  with  her  finger-nails,  and  was  about  to 
disfigure  that  beautiful  face :  the  hot  blood  of  her  mo- 
ther was  boiling  in  her  veins. 

"  No  ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  will  not  "  I  will  rid  my- 
self of  my  beauty  by  other  means."  The  tender  heart 
within  her  revolted  from  the  picture  of  a  scratched,* 
mangled  countenance.  Then  dressing  her  hair  plainly 
and  putting  on  her  simplest  frock,  she  wiped  away  the 
the  traces  of  tears  and  went  out. 

The  surgeon  heard  a  knock  at  his  door:  he  was  lying 
down,  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  reading. 

"  Come  in  !  "  he  cried  gruffly. 

The  door  was  gently  opened,  and  timidly,  Faca  step- 
ped within.  The  surgeon  jumped  up  and  tossed  on  his 
coat. 

"  Why,  what  in  the  world  ?  "  he  stammered.  "  This  is 
an  unexpected  honor ;  you  do  yourself  harm,  young  wo- 
man :  the  story  will  be  that — " 

44  Stay,  sir,"  she  said,  firmly  compressing  her  lips,  and 
laying  her  hand  on  his  arm  as  he  moved  to  open  the 
door,  "  a  soldier's  daughter,  sir,  has  no  name  to  lose ; 
and  such  a  peculiar  "  story  "  would  do  you  no  discredit, 
for  you  are  a  man  ;  such  is  the  judgment  of  society ;  is 
it  not?" 

"  Yes  ;  society  makes  a  distinction  in  such  matters  ; 

but»  society  be ,  I  beg  your  pardon,  young  wo- 

19 


218  FACA. 

man,  I  see  you  are  deeply  troubled ;  what  may  I  do  for 
your  case  ?  Here,  sit  down." 

"  Have  you  any  sick  patients,  doctor  ?  " 

"  No,  Miss  Faca  ;  not  any  tliat  are  very  sick." 

"  Any,  sir,  with  the  ship-fever,  or  small-pox  ?  I  think 
I  would  prefer  the  small-pox. " 

"  What  do  you  mean,  girl  ?  I  fear  you  are  de- 
ranged." 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  have  only  come  to  my  senses." 

"  That 's  a  sure  symptom." 

"  Hear  me,  sir,"  she  cried,  stamping  her  foot,  as  was 
her  wont,  when  vexed  with  unusual  impatience. 

"  I  am  all  attention." 

"You,  gentkmanly  officers,  think  me  pretty.  Now  I 
would  rid  myself  of  this  attraction  to  those  above  me, 
since  it  subjects  me  to  danger." 

"Danger?" 

"  I  have  said  enough :  I  would  nurse  your  patients, 
if  possible  catch  the  small-pox,  lose  my  beauty,  and  go 
forth  a  plain,  unnoticed  soldier's  daughter  and  marry 
a  soldier or  better,  die  ! " 

Faca  burst  into  tears. 

The  kind-hearted  surgeon  said  nothing,  but  taking 
her  arm  Avithin  his  own,  he  led  her  to  her  state-room 
door  and  left  her. 


CHAPTER    XLVI  . 

THE    CONSPIRACY. 

IT  was  on  the  night  of  the  third  of  July.  In  the 
band-room  of  the  Aldebaran  were  come  together  a  com- 
pany of  dark,  sinister-looking  men. 

In  the  middle  of  the  little  assembly  sat  Mr.  Bardolph, 
upon  a  camp-stool.  Those  around  him  were  members 
of  the  band,  who,  as  we  have  already  informed  the 
reader,  were  mostly  political  refugees,  a  few  non-com- 
missioned officers,  the  chief  of  whom  was  Sergeant 
Bootlick,  and  soldiers,  artilleriests,  and  dragoons,  one  of 
the  ex-lawyers,  and  an  ex-doctor,  dressed  in  the  infantry 
uniform. 

These  people  were  sitting  upon  the  sides  of  the  bunks 
with  their  feet  dangling  down.  Some^were  whispering 
stealthily  together,  casting  furtive  glances  at  the  drum- 
major,  and  others,  with  their  heads  upon  their  bosoms, 
sat  in  moody,  expectant  silence. 

Mr.  Bardolph's  arms  were  folded,  and  his  brows,  usu- 
ally so  smooth  and  placid,  were  now  wrinkled  with  the 
harrow  of  deep  thoughts. 

The  door  opened  and  Corporal  Marshall  entered, 
low  murmur  of  significant  applause  ran  round  the  room, 


220  FACA. 

as  the  drum-major  arose  and  welcomed  the  hold,  dash- 
ing, out-and-out  young  soldier. 

"  Before  I  "become  one  of  this  respectahle  body,"  said 
Marshal,  "  I  demand  at  once  your  object  and  your 
plans,  gentlemen." 

The  drum-major  seized  him  impatiently  hy  the  hand, 
and  drew  him  down  to  a  seat  near  himself. 

"  That  is  right,  you  are  wise  in  that,  but  be  patient, 
you  shall  soon  know  all." 

The  door  again  opened  after  a  slight  knock,  and  in 
walked  a  Catholic  priest. 

"  Welcome,  Holy  Father  !  "  cried  Bardolph,  "  you 
look  yourself  in  your  robes." 

The  others  arose,  except  Marshal,  and  bowed  their 
heads  in  silence,  then  threw  themselves  again  upon  the 
bunks. 

Mr.  Bardolph  gave  the  priest  his  own  seat,  and  going 
to  the  door,  now  locked  and  stood  near  it. 

"  This  is  not  the  first  time  I  have  sat  upon  a  camp 
stool,  recruit  as  I  am  ;  nor  the  first  time  I  have  worn  a 
blue  jacket,"  said  the  priest  taking  the  seat  and  throw- 
ing back  his  cassock  for  the  heat,  disclosing  underneath 
a  soldier's  round  jacket.  He  was  a  short,  burly  man, 
with  an  immense  head-piece,  and  well  chiselled  features, 
though  low  forehead,  beneath  which  were  deeply  set  a 
pair  of  black  eyes.  His  language  was  pure  English, 
with  a  slight  foreign  accent,  not  at  once  detected. 


THE      CONSPIRACY.  221 

"  The  bandmaster  is  gone  ! "  he  said  in  a  kind  voice. 
"  Poor  young  man,  he  was  amiable  ! " 

"But  impracticable,  Holy  Father,  you  will  say 
masses  for  his  soul :  here  is  money,"  said  Bardolph 
meekly. 

The  priest  refused  the  price  of  purgatory,  with  a 
slight  sneer,  curling  his  lip. 

"  I  will  pray  for  him,  my  son and  for  you." 

"  Why  for  me,  Holy  Father  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Bardolph, 
crimsoning. 

"  That  you  may  have  a  more  agreeable  bed-fellow, 
and " 

The  drum-major  looked  at  the  priest,  and  then  sig- 
nificantly threw  his  eyes  on  Corporal  Marshal. 

The  priest  seemed  to  understand,  for  he  hesitated, 
and  concluded  suddenly  — 

"  And  one,  my  son,  whom  you  shall  not  be  so  willing 

to  have  sleep  upon  deck and  be  lost,  he  added,  in 

an  under  tone. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Bardolph  addressing  all  pre- 
sent, "  please  draw  close  around  me  that  I  may  speak  low." 

They  obeyed  him,  and  he  went  on  — 

"  Before  disclosing  my  plans  it  is  no  more  than 
reasonable  that  all  of  us  should  be  sworn  to  secrecy." 

"  Oh  no,  certainly  not,"  was  murmured. 

The  priest  held  up  a  crucifix,  before  which,  most  of 
those  around  him  crossed  themselves. 


222  F  A  C  A  . 

The  priest  held  up  a  crucifix,  before  which  most  of  those 
around  him  crossed  themselves. 

'•  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  amen,"  muttered  the  priest ;  "  in  the 
name  of -the  Mother  of  God,  the  Immaculate  and  Divine 
Conception,  the  birth  of  Christ  our  Lord,  and  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  day  of  final  judgment,  purgatory 
and  everlasting  hell,  amen.  You  all  swear,  my  children, 
in  the  name  of  these  terrific  persons,  and  things  to  come, 
to  preserve  within  your  own  bosoms,  inviolate,  the  dread, 
holy,  and  patriotic  secrets  of  this  conclave.  Amen  ! " 

"  Amen  ! "  responded  forth  low,  and  from  deep 
voices." 

"  Or  everlasting  damnation  be  your  several  shares. 
Amen  ! " 

"  Amen  ! "  again  issued  forth  from  the  depths. 

The  priest  sat  down. 

"  And  you,  Father  ?  "  said  Mr.  Bardolph. 

"  I  take  the  same  oath,"  was  the  priest's  reply,  kiss- 
ing the  crucifix. 

"  Swear  it  again,  one  and  all  ! "  was  heard  from  the 
passage  without,  in  a  hollow  voice. 

"  Swear  it  again  !  " 

The  drum-major  opened  the  door,  and  the  ghastly 
figure  of  George  stood  before  them. 

"  Swear  it  again,"  cried  the  ghost,  "and  in  my  pre- 


THE      CONSPIRACY.  223 

Even  the  priest  trembled.  And  with  an  unsteady 
voice  he  went  through  the  formulary  again,  and  pressed 
the  crucifix  to  the  lips  of  all  present,  except  Corporal 
Marshall,  who  turned  away  his  face  saying,  "  I  have 
sworn,  it  is  enough,  I  am  a  Protestant. 

The  door  fell  to,  as  if  by  its  own  accord,  and  those 
pale  men  sat  by  themselves,  with  their  consciences. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Bardolph,  "  the  appalling 
sight  we  have  just  witnessed  proclaims  heaven's  favor 
upon  our  schemes.  That  ghost  haunts  this  ship,  silently 
calling  down  vengeance  upon  its  officers." 

"  Ghost  or  not,"  said  the  corporal  in  a  firm  voice,  "  I 
have  taken  sufficient  part  in  this  useless  mummery ; 
once  more  I  demand  your  plans." 

"  Ay,  the  plans  !  "  echoed  many  of  the  others. 

"  The  first  object,  whicli  we  may  after  a  while  discuss 
in  detail,"  said  Bardolph  lowering  his  voice  more  than 
he  had  yet  done,  "  is  to  despatch  tha  officers  and  those 
few  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  who  refuse  to  join  us. 

"  The  next  thing,  presenting  the  grand  motive  and 
tempting  reward,  wealth  and  honor,  may  be  chosen  from 
three  opportunities  now  presented  to  us,  like  ripe  fruit, 
waiting  only  to  be  plucked. 

"  With  the  four  hundred  men  we  can  confidently  count 
upon,  our  services  would  b?  gladly  accepted  by  the  Rio 
Grande  revolutionists,  by  the  Nicaragua  expedition,  a 
mcmVr  of  whk-li  i.;  our  fri:';i:l  Ir-r^,"  ho  InH  h:.;  h:in  1 


r  '  ,'• 

224  FACA. 

upon  the  ox-lawyer's  shoulders,  "  or  still  more  eagerly 
aud  with  richer  and  surer  hope  of  reward,  by  the  Cuban 
insurrectionists." 

There  was  a  buzz  of  deep  satisfaction.  Eyes  viewed 
the  masterly  drum-major  with  astonished  admiration. 
But  up  rose  the  young  soldier,  Marshal,  and  stalked  to 
the  door. 

"  I  must  leave  ! " 

"  No  you  can  't,  it  is  too  late,"  replied  Mr.  Bardolph. 

"  I  mil  leave,"  said  Marshal  between  his  set  teeth. 

A  dagger  gleamed  from  the  folds  of  the  priest. 
Making  a  gesture  of  forbearance  towards  the  latter, 
Mr.  Bardolph  whispered  in  the  ear  of  the  soldier  — 

"  Your  revenge,  boy,  and  wealth  and  honor  !  your 
oath  too,  remember  !  Besides,  you  are  in  our  power,  a 
little  cold  steel,  a  body  overboard,  it  sinks,  and  no  one 
knows  ;  dead  men  tell " 

Marshal  started  back. 

"  I  will  alarm  the  guard,"  he  cried. 

"What,  ho! " 

Bardolph's  hand  was  on  his  mouth  and  shut  off  fur- 
ther sound.  The  conspirators  sprang  like  tigers  upon 
him. .  One  felled  him  to  the  floor,  and  above  his  breast 
glittered  the  bright  dagger  of  the  priest. 

"  No  ! "  said  Mr.  Bardolph  authoritively.  "  'T  will 
never  do,  unless,"  —  and  he  glared  fiercely  upon  the 
prostrate  youth,  "  unless  he  divulges " 


THE      CONSPIRACY.  225 

"Jcsu  Maria  !"  ejaculated  the  priest,  "if  lie  does, 
there  is  no  land  distant  enough  for  him  to  escape  the 
holy  arm  of  the  Society  of  Jesus." 

"  No  sea  deep  enough  to  hury  himself,"  added  the 
drum-major  harshly.  "  Let  him  rise." 

Corporal  Marshal  stood  upon  his  feet. 

"  I  remember  my  oath,"   said   the  young  man  with 

hoarse  emotion.     "In  a  moment  of  madness,  sirs,  I  lis- 

* 

tened  to  the  temptations  of  your  leader,  little  consider- 
ing the  blood  and  infamy.  Now,  not  to  gratify  any 
private  malice  under  heaven,  would  I  take  life  !  And 
never  !  never  ! "  he  added  emphatically  through  white 
lips,  "will  I  perjure  myself  by  breaking  allegiance  to 
the  flag  of  my  country." 

Then  looking  coldly  around  the  crowd  he  said,  "  My 
life  is  in  your  hands,  take  it." 

No  one  stirred  ;  it  was  Bardolph  that  awed  them. 

"  But,"  continued  Marshal,  after  the  pause,  "  you  may 
trust  my  honor  with  your  secret  thus  far,  for  I  do  not 
fear  your  plans.  I  know  the  character  of  those  against 
whom  you  plot,  too  well.  Their  revolvers  will  strike 
some  of  you  down,  and  intimidate  the  rest,  I  might  ad- 
vise  » 

"  Enough  ;  take  care  of  yourself,  not  us,"  said  Bar- 
dolph. 

"  Kill  him  !  "  cried  the  priest,  savagely. 

"Who  lifts  his  hand  upon  this  rash  boy,  dies  too!" 


22G 


Bardolph  exclaimed,  in  a  low,  thick  voice,  terrible  to  hear, 
and  glancing  terrible  eyes  around  the  room. 

"  Go  on,"  he  said  to  the  corporal. 

"  No  more.  If  you  can  trust  me,  let  me  go.  Up  to 
this  moment  all  is  locked  in  my  breast.  After  this, 
whatever  I  hear  or  see  shall  be  revealed." 

"  Go  then,"  said  Bardolph,  opening  the  door  in  the 
face  of  the  frowns  and  gnashing  teeth  of  the  conspi- 
rators. And  the  true  young  American  soldier  was 
gone. 

The  room  rang  now  with  reproaches,  which  the  drum- 
major  received  coldly  and  calmly,  until  their  force  was 
spent,  then  he  spoke  with  a  gentle  voice. 

"  Gentlemen,  I  know  better  than  any  other  the  game 
I  play.  But  if  you  cannot  trust  me  we  will  stay  this 
business. 

•'  But  why ?  "  began  one  to  say. 

"  I  will  explain,  partly.  That  youth's  life  is  to  me 
important,  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  officers  from 
our  proceedings  among  the  soldiers.  He  is  in  love  with 
the  Trainor  girl,  and  so  seem  all  the  officers  too.  In 
their  love-toils  I  will  catch  thorn  napping,  and  this 
youngster  shall  be  the  instrument.  Do  you  sec  novr?" 

"  Perfectly  ! "  said  the  priest  smiling-  down  his  own 
frowns. 

"  Me  thinks,  my  son,  I  see  your  hand.  By  ihe  young 
man  you  keep  up  a  turmoil  in  the  enemy's  camp ;  you 


THE     CONSPIBACY.  227 

foil  the  officers  of  their  prey,  and  secure  the  fair  prize 
yourself." 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  ! "  laughed  all  feebly. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  !  "  laughed  the  drum-major  feebly. 

"  Now  to  business,"  he  quickly  said. 

"I  had  not  time  to  tell  you  just  now,  gentlemen, 
that  the  Cuban  junta  is  represented  in  the  person  of  this 
Holy  Father,  now  honoring  and  blessing  us  with  his 
sacred  presence  and  heavenly  benediction." 

"  Thou  hast  well  spoken,  my  son."  Then  address- 
ing the  others,  the  priest  developed  his  own  plans,  and 
explained  his  purposes,  nay  motives. 

"  I  have  a  double  interest  in  securing  your  co-opera- 
tion with  the  friends  of  liberty  in  Cuba,"  said  he.  "  I 
am  a  Cuban  by  birth,  and  sigh  for  liberty,  and  what  is 
to  me  still  more  important,  our  holy  church  at  the  pre- 
sent time  has  a  quarrel  against  Spain,  and  as  her  true 
and  devoted  son,  I  am  bound  to  do  the  enemy  of  Rome 
all  the  evil  possible,  and  so  do  God  himself  a  service. 
Amen." 

"  Amen  ! "  piously  breathed  out  the  conspirators. 

The  drum-major  then  delivered  himself  of  an  oration, 
warmly  setting  forth  the  wrongs  of  his  native  land,  and 
portraying  in  glowing  colors  the  chief  advantages  to 
be  gained  in  that  quarter.  He  described  her  rich, 
churches,  her  tempting  women,  her  wealthy  plantations 
her  millions  of  slaves.  In  one  flight  of  his  eloqucnco 


2  J  j  F  A  C  A  . 

lie  soared  aLove  mercenary  motives,  through  his  genuine 
love  of  freedom,  his  hatred  of  tyranny,  his  appeal  for  his 
island  brethren. 

Less  eloquence  would  have  convinced  such  men. 
They  inclined  unanimously  towards  the  Cuban  attrac- 
tion ;  they  longed  to  revel  in  the  palaces  of  the  Ha- 
vana ;  they  swore  each  one  should  have  for  his  own 
prize  a  plantation,  stocked  with  a  thousand  slaves.  The 
thing,  too,  was  practicable,  for  the  priest  told  them, 
there  were  now  two  or  more  fleet  vessels  hovering  in  the 
Gulf,  to  carry  the  news  of  any  approaching  forces  to  the 
insurrectionists,  who  could  gather  at  a  point  to  be  fixed, 
in  sufficient  numbers  to  make  a  successful  move,  if 
armed,  and  the  Aldebaran  was  loaded  with  arms  for 
the  frontiers  of  Texas  and  New  Mexico ;  and  so  it  was 
decided  in  favor  of  Cuba. 

The  details  of  the  movement  on  ship-board  were  next 
arranged  by  the  masterly  drum-major.  The  embryo 
state  was  organized.  Mr.  Bardolph,  the  head  chieftain. 
His  staff  was  named :  the  ex-lawyer,  Temple,  should  be 
minister  of  state,  and  the  ex-doctor,  Toombs,  surgeon- 
general. 

The  shrill  reveille  broke  them  to  pieces,  and  they 
appeared  on  deck  like  pale  spectres  of  the  dawn. 
The  following  night  was  resolved  upon  for  another 
meeting. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

FOURTH    OF    JULY    MORN. 

"Yankee  Doodle  is  the  tune 

Americans  delight  in : 
'Twill  do  to  whistle,  dance,  and  sing, 
And  just  the  thing  for  fightin'!" 

GENTLY  but  grandly  the  red,  white,  and  blue  un- 
folded itself  at  the  mast-head  on  the  morning  of 
the  Fourth  of  July :  it  kissed  the  gulf-breeze,  and 
wafted  a  peaceful  greeting  aboard,  to  all  the  nations  on 
earth. 

"  Three  cheers  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue  ! " 
shouted  Corporal  William  Marshal,  jumping  up  on  the 
main  station,  taking  off  his  hat,  and  swinging  it  in  the 
air. 

The  call  was  answered  by  three  lusty  huzzas,  coming 
apparently  from  every  soldier  and  sailor  on  board,  and 
making  the  Aldebaran  to  skip  like  a  goat  on  the  hills 
of  the  sea. 

"  Three  cheers  for  Major  June ! "  again  called  the 
corporal. 

"  Huzza  !  huzza  ! !  huzza-n-a-a-a-a  ! ! !  " 

L'0 


230  FACA. 

"  Three  cheers  for  the  Aldebaran  and  her  commander, 
boys,  —  Captain  Handsallaround  ! "  cried  honest  old 
Jack,  the  boatswain ;  and  loud  and  long  were  the  sailors 
and  soldiers  shouting  for  their  officers. 

"  Fools  ! "  said  Mr.  Bardolph  to  the  priest,  standing 
near  in  a  soldier's  uniform,  "fools!  they  will  burst 
their  own  throats  to-day,  and  cut  the  officers'  throats  to- 
morrow." 

"  Ay,"  said  the  priest ;  "  they  can  be  bought  and  sold 
like  any  other  cattle." 

So  wise  men,  such  as  Mr.  Bardolph,  and  holy  men, 
like  the  priest,  have  thought  from  the  beginning  of 
time. 

Had  not  the  Eoman  senator  his  price  ? 

"  Three  cheers  for  starvation,  comrades ! "  cried  a 
long,  rope-necked  man,  with  an  insatiably  greedy 
look. 

The  priest  laughed  :  the  conspirators  looked  at  each 
other  significantly  ;  but  Mr.  Bardolph  frowned,  yet  a 
satisfied  frown  was  that,  and  no  soul  responded  to  the 
rash  sentiment. 

Then  the  band  poured  forth  a 'stream  of  harmony, 
dividing  into  various  national  airs,  all  concentrating 
again,  and  leaping  down  the  music-fall  of  Yankee 
Doodle. 

The  military  officers  were  not  on  deck,  and  the  sol- 


FOUHTII      OF      JULY      MO  UN.  281 

diors  called  for  their  favorite  tunes  without  let  or  hin- 
drance. 

"  Now  give  us  the  '  Bowld  Sodger  Boy  ! ' "  sung  out 
an  Irish  gallant. 

"  Sally  on  a  log,"  called  one. 

"  Ay,  yes,  and  then  the  '  Girls  we  left  behind  us/" 
said  an  other. 

The  band  looked  forlorn  ;  but,  for  a  secret  motive, 
wishing  to  please  the  men,  they  puffed  out  their  cheeks, 
and  blowed  on  famously,  the  drum-major  standing  near 
them,  and  ordering  each  air  with  a  bland  smile,  beau- 
tiful to  behold. 

"  Now  for  '  Saint  Patrick's  Day  in  the  Morning  ! ; " 
called  out  a  live  Yankee,  in  a  long  nasal  twang. 

Laughs  and  hisses. 

"  Do  you  know  the  '  Stable  Call  ? ' "  inquired  a  dra- 
goon. 

The  band  did  not  know  ;  they  were  an  infantry 
band. 

"  Can  you  sing  it  for  us,  Slashem  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that  I  will ; "  with  equine  lungs  high  private 
Slashem  roared  out 

THE  STABLE  CALL. 

All  ye  as  is  able, 
Come,  go  to  the  stable 
And  give  to  your  horses 
Some  water  aud  corn  ; 


232  FAG  A. 

For  if  you  don't  do  it, 
The  captain  will  know  it, 
And  then  he  will  flog  you 
As  sure  as  you  're  born. 

"  Ay,"  muttered  a  surly  soldier,  standing  near  Tem- 
ple, who,  waiving  his  designs  on  Nicaragua,  was  actively 
conspiring  for  the  portfolio  of  secretary  of  state  for 
Cuba,  "  aye,  that 's  it ;  do  it  or  catch  a  flogging." 

"  Comrade  !"  cried  the  other,  "there's  a  good  time 
coming." 

The  future  minister  of  state  took  his  companion  one 
side,  and  filled  his  heart  with 

"Treasons,  stratagems,  and  spoils." 
• 

The  conspirators  distilled  their  poison  well  that  day, 
and  the  conspiracy  was  gradually  gathering  to  a  head. 
—  A  motley  command  was  Major  June's. 

The  number  of  disciplined  soldiers  was  small,  and 
the  number  of  raw  recruits,  gathered  in  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth,  was  large.  With  some,  the  love  of 
adventure,  or  mystery,  prevailed  ;  in  many,  rascality  in 
all  its  forms,  predominated.  Sloth,  misfortune,  ignor- 
ance, bankruptcy,  and  the  wine-cup  are  your  recruiting- 
officers.  But  at  that  time,  when  the  soldier's  pay  was  a 
pittance,  no  better  men  could  be  enlisted. 

Such  for  years  had  been  the  associates  of  the  once 


FOURTH      OF      JULY      MOKN.  233 

noble  young  Adolfo  Jarero !     Such  were  the  instruments 
now  of  his  revenge  ;  and  of  his  blow  for  freedom. 

It  seems  Mr.  Bardelph  knew  his  tools,  for  he  trusted 
few  of  them.     The  conspirators  were  instructed  to  sha- 
dow forth  vague  designs :  they  were  to  sound  the  troops 
rather  than  disclose  their  plans. 
20* 


CHAPTEE    XLV1II. 

FOURTH    OF    JULY    OVER    THE    FORE-TOP. 

THE  -Aldebaran  was  in  gala  trim ;  spare  sails  and 
other  canvass  were  stretched  overhead  from  stem  to 
stern,  and  from  larboard  to  starboard,  forming  an  awn- 
ing under  which  sped  about  the  sea  air,  blowing  lightly 
and  freshly  into  everybody's  face. 

Along  the  edges  of  the  awning  were  draped  in  grace- 
ful festoons  and  triumphal  arches  the  folds  of  many  a 
fair  banner.  Upon  and  about  the  masts  muskets  were 
stacked,  and  artillery  cutlasses  and  cavalry  sabres  ar- 
ranged in  starry  groups,  keen  and  radiant  with  blood- 
thirsty brightness,  as  the  dog-star  of  the  heavens,  yet 
peaceful  and  united  as  our  own  glorious  constellation  of 
States. 

On  the  quarter-deck  a  panoply  formed  of  star-span- 
gled banners  hung  over  a  large  dais,  on  the  back  part 
of  which  was  a  sort  of  double  throne.  Here  sat  our 
gallant  friend,  Major  June,  in  the  full  uniform  of  his 
order ;  rosy  with  beaming  light  was  his  face.  On  his 
left  side,  decked  fairly  as  the  goddess  of  liberty,  sat 
a  pale,  beautiful  young  woman,  with  the  severely 


FOURTH      OF     JULY.  235 

classic  features  of  a  Grecian  statue,  softened  in  their 
expression  to  loveliest  oval,  and  form  motionless  as 
marble. 

It  was  Faca  Trainor. 

Forming  a  quarter-circle  on  either  hand  of  the  dais, 
were  seated,  on  one  side,  the  officers  of  the  troops,  on 
the  other,  the  officers  of  the  ship.  There  was  Old  Sol, 
whose  dark,  dry  features  were  aglow  with  pleasure  and 
animation,  as  his  eyes  went  burning  from  beneath  his 
heavy  black  brows,  and  directing  their  amorous  fire 
upon  the  cold  pale  goddess.  Near  him  were  the  sur- 
geon, Swallow,  Nebulus,  and  the  other  young  officers, 
all  wearing,  like  their  honored  chief,  the  full  martial 
insignia. 

Opposite  sat  Captain  Handsallaround,  Clincher,  Junks, 
and  Harry  Joints,  the  ship's  carpenter,  —  all  looking  a 
little  uneasy  at  the  novelty  of  their  situation,  display 
forming  no  part  of  Jack's  character. 

Veracious  Clincher  especially,  rolled  his  great  quid 
about  his  twisted  mouth,  and  scanned  every  part  of  the 
ship  visible  to  his  wide  open  eyes,  restlessly.  At  one  end 
of  this  semi-circle  on  the  quarter-deck  was  our  little 
Ethiopian,  Snowball,  dressed  as  a  smart  sailor,  and  at 
the  other  end,  a  drummer-boy,  both  standing  with  un- 
easy crossed  legs,  and  each  holding  up  the  depending 
folds  of  a  flag. 

Excepting  the  watch  and  the  guard,  all  tho  sailors 


23G  FACA. 

and  soldiers  were  visible  on  deck,  ranged  each  in  his 
rank  and  order,  forming  handsome  arrays,  —  a  gallant 
sight  to  behold.  And  there  too,  were  seen  the  camp- 
women  and  their  children. 

While  the  dram-Mis  personce  in  this  scene  were  taking 
their  allotted  places,  the  usual  ship  sounds  were  dying 
away  till  all  was  still. 

"  At  last  a  soft  and  solemn  breathing  sound 
Rose  like  a  steam  of  rich  distilled  perfumes, 
And  stole  upon  the  air,  that  even  Silence 
Was  took  ere  she  was  'ware,  and  wished  she  might 
Deny  her  nature  and  be  never  more, 
Still  to  be  so  displaced." 

Even  the  band,  jaded  as  they  were  with  night-work,  and 
little  sympathising  as  they  could  with  the  spirit  of  the 
day,  were  inspired,  for 

"  E'en  rage  itself  is  cheered  with  music; 
It  wakes  a  glad  remembrance  of  our  youth, 
Calls  back  past  joys,  and  warms  us  into  transport." 

Then  the  services  of  our  national  Sunday  began 
aboard  the  good  ship  Aldebaran.  The  day  was  fine, 
winds  beat  their  own  beldames  tame,  and  their  wild 
roars  were  turned  to  gentle  echoes ;  the  sea  was  calm, 
and  scarce  a  cloud  bigger  than  a  man's  hand  obscured 
the  blqe-domed  crystal  palace  of  the  sun. 


FOURTH      OF      JULY.  237 

THE    ODE. 

WIN  FIELD      SCOTT. 

When  the  clarions  of  Fame 

Sound  the  deeds  of  the  Brave, 
Through  the  vaults  of  old  Time's 

Cloistered  arches  and  nave, 
Let  the  loudest  our  hero 

Make  known  to  the  world, 
At  whose  voice  gentle  Mercy 

War's  banner  unfurled. 

When  the  hot  blood  of  Youth 

Boiled  at  Tyranny's  demand, 
And  the  wrongs  of  our  seamen 

Echoed  wide  o'er  the  land, 
See  our  Chieftain  advancing 

O'er  Chippewa's  height,  — 
Round  his  sword  plays  the  lightning 

In  tempests  of  fight. 

While  the  nation  at  rest, 

Sat  with  Peace  'neath  the  vine, 
And  the  wine-press  of  Plenty 

Gushed  out  with  new  wine  ; 
Who  afar  on  our  border 

Watched  patient  and  long, 
And  war's  evils  averted 

By  his  word  sure  and  strong? 

The  soft  bugle  is  blowing 

O'er  cactus  and  palm 
And  the  Aztec  is  trembling, 

Yet  the  Chieftain  is  calm  ; 


233  FACA. 

Though  the  battle 's  descending, 

And  bloody  his  hand, 
Yet  his  buele  sounds  truce 
To  an  enemy's  land.     . 

Ah !  a  drop  of  sweet  blood 

Is  more  precious  than  gold, 
And  the  life  of  a  freeman 

More  than  riches  untold ; 
And  the  jewel  of  price 

In  Fame's  diadem 
Is  the  pure  pearl  of  Mercy, 

And  that  is  His  gem. 

Was  there  now  no  man  of  God,  to  offer  up  a  prayer  ? 
A  moment's  penitence  stirred  the  dead  leaves  of  yon 
withered  fig  tree  there  —  the  back-slidden  Parson.  A 
gleam  of  malignant  satanity  shot  forth  from  the  piercing 
eyes  of  yon  plotting  Priest.  There  was  no  man  of  God 
to  invoke  a  hlessing. 

Then  arose  the  tall  figure  of  Lieutenant  Soldan. 
Coming  to  one  corner  of  the  dais,  he  laid  upon  a  desk 
covered  with  bunting,  a  roll  of  paper,  which  he  opened, 
and  from  which  he  addressed  the  multitude. 

OLD  SOL'S  FOURTH  OF  JULY  ORATION    ON  GLORY. 

"  COMRADES !  —  'In  the  garden  of  the  castle  of  Fur- 
stenherg,'  says  a  writer,  '  there  is  a  singularly  beautiful 
little  spring ;  it  bubbles  up  amidst  flowers  and  grass, 
and  overruns  the  green  sward  in  many  a  limpid  stream- 
let. There  is  something  in  the  unadorned  simplicity  of 


FOURTH      OF      JULY.  239 

this  tiny  well,  rippling  through  the  yellow  daffodils 
and  "  starry  river-huds,"  wonderfully  pleasing. 

" '  But  what  an  interest  fills  the  mind,  as  we  hear 
that  this  is  the  source  of  the  Danube, — the  mighty 
river  that  sweeps  along  through  the  rocky  gorges  of  Up- 
per Austria,  washes  the  foundations  of  the  imperial 
Vienna,  and  Hows,  ever  swelling  and  widening  and 
deepening  to  the  Black  Sea,  —  that  giant  stream  !  so 
picturesque  in  its  windings,  so  teeming  with  interest  to 
the  poet,  the  painter,  the  merchant,  and  politician.' 

"  Could  that  writer,  my  comrades,  have  stood  at  the 
well  of  our  national  glory,  and  watched  with  the  eye  of 
a  seer,  the  little  stream  widening  as  it  went,  till  now  it 
washes  the  banks  of  thirty  odd  states,  each  one  a  sove- 
reign, and  all  an  empire  where  freedom  reigns,  he  would 
find  a  spectacle  more  '  teeming  with  interest  to  the  poet, 
painter,  merchant  and  politician,'  than  all  the  'mighty 
rivers'  of  the  world. 

• 

"  The  name  and  head  of  every  American  reflects  a 
portion  of  this  glory ;  but,  comrades,  it  is  peculiarly  our 
boast,  that  we  have  set  apart  our  lives  to  cherish,  honor, 
and  defend  it  against  all  enemies..  Abandoning  the 
comforts  of  home,  and  the  pursuits  of  wealth,  we  devote 
ourselves  to  this  one  noble  object. 

' '  '  For  gold  the  merchant  plows  the  main, 

The  farmer  plows  the  manor 
But  glory  is  the  soldier's  gain; 
The  soldier's  wealth  is  honor ! ' 


240  FACA. 

"  Sons  of  the  great  republic !  knights,  squires,  and 
yeomen  of  war !  children  of  the  country  !  be  true  to 
your  trust ! 

"  The  name  of  a  soldier  should  he  spotless  as  Octa- 
vias ;  his  hreast  the  home  of  honor  and  chivalry ;  his 
heart  undefiled  and  incorruptible  ;  his  reputation  bright 
and  untarnished  as  the  sun  !  Withdrawn  from  the 
temptations  of  polluting  traffic,  he  should  cherish  none 
but  generous  emotions  ;  —  the  time  has  passed  away  for 
mercenary  soldiers.  Where  once  there  lay  but  one 
road  to  distinction,  there  now  diverge  a  thousand  well- 
trod  paths  to  fame ;  but  one  road  to  Glory  remains,  and 
that  is  the  profession  of  arms,  by  land  or  sea. 

"  There  is  no  room  here  for  selfishness,  for  schem- 
ing, for  any  sort  of  double-dealing.  We  are,  or  should 
be,  a  race  of  one-eyed  giants  —  Polyphemuses  heroized  to 
real  greatness,  expanded  from  the  dominion  of  a  dark 
cave  to  the  domain  of  our  enlightened  country. 

"  Great  is  the  soldier's  office  and  reward.  When  he 
returns  from  war,  the  country  rings  with  his  applause  ; 
and  when,  with  his  brave  heart  and  nobly-cultivated  in- 
stincts, he  seeks  repose  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  what 
sweet  repose  !  what  loving  eyes  the  woman  of  his  heart 
turns  upon  him  !  See  his  children  run  about  the  streets, 
crying  '  Father  has  come  !  father  has  come  ! '  for  they 
well  know  that  all  men  honor  him  —  let  it  be  alike  for 
moral  excellence  as  for  martial  hraverv. 


FOURTH      OF      JULY.  241 

It  is  the  soldier  that  feels  he  has  a  nation,  —  not  Mas- 
sachusetts, not  Virginia,  alone  ;  but  a  common  country. 
But  it  is  his  only  country  and  he  should  know  no  other. 
The  spirit  that  would  go  forth  looking  across  another 
man's  boundaries  for  a  place  to  build,  or  a  place  to  tear 
down,  a  place  to  sow,  or  a  place  to  reap  where  another 
has  sown,  is  false  to  the  instincts  of  honor,  a  foe  to  his 
race,  a  villain,  and  a  robber." 

"  What  ! "  whispered  the  priest  to  Bardolph.  "  Is  it 
possible  that  he  has  a  clue  ?  "  % 

"  If  that  young  Marshal  has  betrayed  us,  he,  at  least, 
shall  fall,  if  I  lose  my  neck,"  replied  the  drum  major. 

"  Hist  ! "  said  the  priest,  "  he  proceeds  ! " 

"  On  every  side  of  us,  on  this  Hemisphere,"  continued 
the  orator,  "  secret  plottings,  dark  cabals,  hidden  juntas, 
petty  insurrection,  and  ruthless  revolutions  are  at  work. 
On  the  borders  of  this  very  sea,  no  less  than  three  are 
known.  It  may  be  that  some  restless,  ambitious,  cove- 
tous, bold,  bad  man,  may  come  among  you  comrades,  — 
for  such  insidious  spirits  penetrate  every  where  —  with 
tempting  offers,  to  persuade  you  to  abandon  your  sworn 
service,  and  take  their  cause  upon  you.  Lock  up  your 
breasts  ;  bar  them  with  bolts  of  true  steel,  against  such 
base  alurements.  Remember  your  oath  of  allegiance, 
your  noble  calling  of  Soldier,  your  country's  honor, 
your  own  glory  —  remember  these  and  be  true,  uniting 

with  me  in  this  sentiment :  "  Palzied  bo  the  arm  that 
2! 


242  FACA. 

strikes  falsely  —  immortal  the  glory  of  a  true  Soldier." 

Cheer  upon  cheer  made  the  welkin  ring  again,  as  the 
orator  wound  up  his  trumpet-blast  with  this  nourish  of 
true  patriotism.  A  proud  warm  glow  mantled  his  dark 
features  as  he  resumed  his  seat.  Thick  and  panting 
went  the  hreath  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  now  no 
longer  pale  and  statuesque  ;  but  with  brightened  color 
coming  and  going  on  her  beautiful  cheek,  she  had 
gazed  with  burning  admiration,  and  listened  with 
heightening  pleasure. 

The  kindled  glance  with  which  she  simply  and  invo- 
luntarily rewarded  the  lieutenant  as  he  took  his  seat, 
sent  the  young  blood  reeling  to  his  old  heart,  like  a 
drunken  Cupid  to  the  lap  of  Venus. 

If  the  soldiers  all  could  not  understand  the  orator  of 
the  day,  Faca,  the  soldier's  daughter,  could. 

Bowing  to  the  major,  who  stood  ready  to  escort  her 
away,  she  went  like  a  child  to  the  side  of  Old  Sol,  and 
at  this  moment  the  "  celebration  "  broke  up. 


CHAPTEB    XLIX. 

WOMAN. 


I  must  own  they  are  a  pretty  sort  of  creatures  if  we  could  but 
trust  them. 

BEGGAR'S  OPERA. 


WE  do  not  claim  for  Faca  the  dignity  of  a  type.  But 
if  there  be  any  class  who  may  appreciate  her  position, 
and  penetrate  her  character  it  is  those  females  whose 
hearts  are  burning  and  whose  heads  are  lit  with  the 
bright  flame  of  a  highly  cultivated  understanding ; 
yet  who  are  placed  in  such  sircumstances  in  life  as  her's. 
Not  that  one  need  be  a  common  soldier's  daughter,  but 
anything  that  cuts  them  off  from  the  sympathies  and 
action  of  the  class  for  which  their  minds  fits  them,  or 
for  which  their  eager,  piercing,  self-consuming  souls 
aspire. 

Here  one  lies  buried  among  the  hills  of  New  Eng- 
land,  a  lone,  withering  tree,  that,  planted  in  a  richer 
soil,  or  cultivated  by  some  kindly,  knowing,  appreciating 
hand,  might  pour  down  abundance  of  its  fruit,  the 


244  .  PACA. 

bloom  of  its  beautiful  blossomings,  in  a  golden  shower 
of  goodness,  love,  and  joy,  on  earth. 

There,  dungeoned  in  a  palace  of  splendor,  and  linked 
in  golden  chains,  wrought  out  of  a  bargain  of  merchan- 
dize, with  an  uncongenial  mate,  whose  mind  is  "  cribbed, 
cabined,  and  confined ';  in  the  dusty  mart,  sits  another, 
more  solitary  than  desolate  Jerusalem,  with  none  to 
pity ;  for  they  of  the  world  say  —  is  she  not  rich  —  with 
servants,  carriages,  gold,  and  worshippers  of  gold,  at 
her  command  ? 

How  many,  in  fact,  suffer  in  "  cold  obstruction,"  and 
feel  their  jewelled  treasures  of  mind  and  heart  fritter- 
ing away  into  empty  evaporation,  because  of  their  earthly 
allotments  ?  Doomed  as  it  were,  from  the  very  cruel 
nature  of  the  circumstances  by  which  they  are  surrounded, 
to  canker,  consume,  and  rust  themselves  away. 

O  pity,  merciful  Heaven  !  pity  such,  we  say.  Life 
indeed  to  them  is  but  a  Eed  Sea  of  tears,  its  fruits  all 
ashes. 

How  keenly  alive  are  the  higher  order  of  women,  to 
the  appeals  of  glory  !  Their  hearts  leap  up  towards 
him  who  in  his  words  portrays,  or  in  his  person  repre- 
sents it. 

The  sentiments  of  bravery,  generosity,  honor  —  a  life 
devoted  apparently  —  the  very  prestige  and  manly  bear- 
ing—  say  if  you  please  the  glitter  of  the  gay  uniform 
of  the  soldier,  comes  nearer  to  her  id?al  of  manhood, 


WOMAN.  245 

than  does  any  other  embodiment  of  the  ruder  sex.  Say 
not  in  haste  that  it  is  the  mere  pomp  and  show,  the 
color  and  display,  that  attracts  her.  No,  it  is  her  own 
high  standard  of  excellence  she  worships  —  it  is  herself 
she  loves,  in  sword  and  epaulet  fcg. 
21* 


CHAPTER     L. 

FACA'S     ADMIRERS. 

Our  love  it  ne  'er  was  reckoned, 

Yet  good  it  is  and  true, 
It  'a  half  the  world  to  me,  dear, 

It 's  all  the  world  to  you. 

TOM  HOOD. 

FOR  the  brief  while  Faca  abandoned  herself  to  the 
pleasures  of  listening  to  the  oration  of  the  day,  forget- 
ful of  the  bitter  trial  going  forward  in  her  heart's 
depths. 

At  the  urgent  request  of  the  officers,  and  the  com- 
mands of  her  father  —  her  mother  would  not  persuade, 
for  or  against  —  she  had  consented  to  take  the  part  we 
have  described  in  the  proceedings. 

"  I  will  be  a  mere  automaton,"  she  said  to  herself. 

But  the  noble  words  she  heard  awoke  in  her  soul  all 
the  slumbering  poetry  and  passion  of  her  highly  strung 
nature,  and  she  flung  herself  wildly  to  the  control  of 
those  lofty  emotions. 

Both  the  cool,  revengeful  Bardolph,  and  the  impetu- 
ous, generous  Marshal,  saw  the  change  as  it  portrayed  it- 


FACA'S    ADMIRERS.  247 

self  upon  her  expressive  face.  But  with  what  different 
feeling  they  saw  ! 

"  S  '  death  ! "  exclaimed  the  drum-major  to  himself, 
"The  girl  is  completely  carried  away  with  these  fine 
words.  '  Woman,  like  moths,  are  ever  caught  by  glare.' 
I  '11  tame  her  down  to  the  realities  of  life,  an'  I  get 
her  ! " 

"  No  wonder,  no  wonder,"  said  Marshal  shaking  his 
head  mournfully,  "  that  she  looks  above  me,  it  is  her 
destiny  to  soar ;  she  revels  now  in  her  own  atmosphere." 

Then  the  corporal  scanned  the  appearance  of  Old  Sol, 
his  gaunt  figure,  his  advancing  years ;  these  not  even 
the  glow  of  eloquence  could  hide. 

"  If  I  were  an  officer  I  could  make  Faca  happier  than 
he,"  thought  William  —  "a  chance  to  develope  my 
faculties  under  more  genial  associations,  than  those  of  a 
soldier  in  ranks,  a  command  of  books,  and  the  usages  of 
polite  society.  By  heavens!"  he  ejaculated  abruptly, 
as  his  several  deficiencies  presented  themselves  —  "By 
heavens,  it  would  be  throwing  herself  away  to  take  Cor- 
poral William  Marshal  !  Man  you  're  mad  ! " 

But  it  was  only  in  a  moment  like  the  present  that 
the  gallant  corporal,  superior  as  he  was  to  his  fellows, 
could  make  due  allowance  for  Faca.  He  felt  harsh  and 
bitter  ;  he  blamed  her  for  so  much  as  even  listening  to  the 
advances  of  the  liouter.nnt ;  he  even  dared,  in  his  jaun- 
diced imagination,  (.•  rvf  a  »i;irk  ir^aning  in  Old  Sol's 


248  F  A  C  A  . 

pretensions  to  his  mistress's  hand — he  doubted  whether 
it  was  her  hand  he  wanted. 

Then  he  would  return  to  the  charge  against  her. 

"  Brihed,  bought,  through  her  simple  doating  parents, 
over  to  Mammon  " he  wrote  a  poem  ! 

THE  NEW  HYMEN. 

A  SEA  GLYPH. 


There  once  was  a  beautiful  lady, 

And  there  once  was  a  hideous  dwarf, 

The  lady  reclined  in  her  bower, 

And  the  monster  kept  ships  and  a  wharf ; 

And  he  grinned  as  he  bent  on  his  knee, 

And  poured  forth  his  love, 

As  a  kite  to  a  dove, 
Crying  "  Maiden,  behold  I  love  thee  1 

I  have  ships,  I  have  gold, 

I  have  riches  untold, 
And  my  palace  I  offer  to  thee." 

n. 

0,  vainly  she  tried 
Her  red  blushed  to  hide ; 
"  Nay  master,  have  done,"  quoth  she, 
"  For  my  mother  hath  none  but  me, 
Her  heart  it  would  break, 
Her  loved  darling  to  take 
To  thy  palace  far  out  on  the  sea." 


PACA'S      ADMIRERS,  249 

III. 

Then  straightway  he  rose, 

To  the  mother  he  goes, 
And  a  bargain  of  price  offered  he  ; 

And  with  rubies  and  pearls, 

Satins,  laces,  and  curls, 
The  consent  of  the  lady  won  he. 

IV. 

And  dwarf,  mother,  and  bride, 
To  the  synagogue  hied, 
And  Mammon  —  the  priest  was  he  — 
That  scarlet  knot  tied, 
And  the  censers  they  swung, 
And  the  choristers  sung, 
And  the  people  all  cried  —  "  Live  the  Three  J  " 

V. 

And  he  laughed  with  a  crack, 
Thumped  the  hump  on  his  back, 
And  said  —  "Though  a  cripple  am  I, 
Though  a  dwarf  and  a  cripple  am  I, 
Yet  the  beautiful  hand 
Of  the  Belle  of  the  land, 
Is  my  own  in  the  face  of  the  sky  !  n 


Ho  !   away  on  the  tide 

Sail  the  dwarf  and  his  bride, 
In  their  shallop  of  pearly  shell. 

The  sun,  round  and  red, 

Is  setting  ahead, 
And  the  clouds  their  bright  rosaries  tell: 

While  the  murmuring  breeze 


250  FAG  A. 

Bendeth  down  on  his  knees 
As  he  tolleth  the  vesper  bell ; 

And  the  maidenly  moon 

With  light-braided  shoon, 
Steppeth  onward  before  the  sail : 

And  under  her  lea, 

Gently  rocketh  the  sea, 
And  afar  in  his  tent  sleeps  the  gale. 

VII. 

And  the  bride  on  his  breast, 
With  her  face  in  his  vest, 

His  crimson  and  gold-broidered  vest, 
He  s'at  on  a  throne, 
With  it's  velvety  zone, 

And  softly  the  maiden  caresst ; 
But  her  lip  it  grew  cold 
As  the  Monster  grew  bold, 

And  her  snowy-white  bosom  he  preset. 

VIII. 

"What  ho  !  brave  attendants,  some  wine  !  " 
And  with  goblets  of  gold, 
There  arose  from  the  hold 

Black  cup-bearers  three  and  nine. 
They  were  beautiful  pages, 
Of  tender  young  ages, 

And  their  eyes  like  the  sloe  did  shine. 
And  their  goblets  were  crowned 
With  bright  jewels  around, 

And  wreaths  of  sweet  flowers,  a  'twine : 
They  had  handles  of  gold 
¥.TiLJi  a  envious  twist. 


FACA'S    ADMIRERS.  251 

And  serpentine  fold, 
That  sparkled  with  amethyst. 

IX. 

"My  love,  let  us  drink  to  the  brine, 
Thine  's  Lesbian  wine, 
(Falerian,  mine,") 
And  the  gonfala  o'er 
The  libation  they  pour, 
That  flashed  in  the  far  moonshine. 
"  Now  love  to  thy  name, 
A  cup  to  each  letter 
Thy  beauty  may  claim, 

Each  a  link  in  the  fetter 
That  binds  me  adorably  thine. 

X. 

"  By  Bacchus !   sweet  maid, 
Of  thy  husband  afraid?" 
As  she  shrank  from  his  orgies  back, 

"  I  have  sought  thee  and  bought  thee 

Of  the  mother  who  taught  thee, 
To  love  e'en  the  hump  on  my  back ; 
For  the  wealth  that  it  covers 
Is  the  fairest  of  lovers ! " 

XI. 

And  he  laughed  with  his  horrible  crack, 

And  he  cried,  "Thou  art  mine, 

Inexorably  mine ! " 
And  his  count'nance  grew  hideously  black, 

An  1  up  from  the  brine 

Faces  ^listen  an  1  shine, 
Crying  "  Thine  !   incxoraUy  tliine  !  " 


252  FACA. 

XII. 

The  rnoon  looketh  pale  on  the  ocean, 

And  the  stars  twinkle  dim  on  an  isle ! 
The  gonfala  ceases  the  motion 
'  It  followed  for  many  a  mile. 

In  the  East  the  fresh  morning  is  breaking, 
Like  a  child  from  its  afternoon  sleep, 

And  the  sun  with  pomegranate  is  streaking 
The  grey  battlements  over  the  deep. 

And  the  top  of  yon  palace  is  gleaming 
'T  is  a  palace  with  ivory  towers, 

From  whose  gates  a  gay  multitude  'a  streaming, 
Deck'd  with  banners  and  tropical  flowers. 

E'en  the  air,  with  a  musical  ringing, 

Salutes  the  beautiful  bride ; 
And  all  voices  grow  hoarse  with  their  singing 

Her  joy  and  the  dwarf's  by  her  side. 

At  the  gate,  by  an  olive-cheek'd  maiden, 
A  flame-color'd  bridal-veil  '&  brought ; 

And  a  train  are  with  costly  gifts  laden, 
Of  cunning  machinery  wrought. 

XIIL 

With  joy  they  lead  all, 
Through  court-yard  and  hall, 

To  the  tapestried  chamber  on  high  ; 
The  pale  bride  follows  after, 
And  the  bridegroom  with  laughter 

That  leaps  from  his  amorous  eye. 


FACA'S      ADMIRERS.  253 

XIV. 

Sound  cymbal !   beat  drum ! 

For  the  bridegroom  hath  come, 
Shriek  trumpet  and  fife  to  the  sky ! 

Let  the  choruses  roar 

Out  the  pleasures  in  store, 
As  the  bright  wing  of  life  hieth  by; 

As  the  dwarf  and  his  bride, 

In  the  honeymoon  tide, 
Lie  down  on  their  couch  pillow'd  high  ; 

May  the  morn  of  the  morrow 

Bring  nor  sadness  nor  sorrow, 
Till  the  shade  of  the  almond-trees  nigh  ; 

And  the  grasshopper's  hum, 

As  a  burden  become, 
Till  the  pitcher  is  broke  and  the  fountain  is  dry. 

XV. 

Katy-did  !     Katy-did  ! 
Whip-poor  !     Will-whip-poor- Will ! 

And  the  owl,  in  the  china-tree  hid 

Sang  "  tee-whit,  tee-whit,  tee-hoo!  " 
And  the  silvery  mocking-bird,  still 

How  he  solemnly  mocks  the  crew  I 

XVI. 

On  the  top  of  a  rock 
That  looks  down  on  the  sea, 

Like  a  porcelain  block, 
Pale  porcelain  statue  sat  she  ! 
And  she  wringeth  her  hair 
In  a  grief  like  despair, 
She  's  a  bridal  robe  white 
on      With  a  purple  fringe  dight, 


254  FACA. 

But  her  bosom  and  white  arms  are  bare. 
And  a  lyrical  stave 
Goes  afloat  on  the  wave, 

As  thus  she  complains  to  the  air. 

xvn. 


XVIIL 

The  evening  breathed  still, 
And  the  mocking-bird  shrill 

Keeps  vigil  alone  in  the  trees, 

Till  round  him  are  prying 
With  pine  torches  flying, 

That  flicker  and  flame  on  the  breeze  ; 
The  palace's  people, 
From  basement  to  steeple, 

Are  searching  the  bushes  like  bees  ; 
They  fly  through  the  towers, 
They  tear  through  the  bowers, 
The  cliffs  and  the  shore, 
And  the  island  all  o'er, 

And  the  dwarf  sinketh  faint  on  his  knees, 
And  his  breast,  hard  as  stone, 
Is  rent  with  a  groan, 

And  a  curse  flies  away  o'er  the  seas. 

XIX. 

In  the  midst  of  a  cave, 

Lay  in  virginal  state, 

Like  a  nun  in  the  nave 

Of  a  chapel  so  great, 

''.'he  bride  of  that  hideous  groom  ! 


FACA'S    ADMIRERS.  255 

And  for  tapers,  there  were 

The  clear  crystals  of  spar, 
That  glistened  like  gold  in  the  gloom. 
And  the  sea  sang  a  hymn, 

And  a  mass  for  her  soul 

Thro'  the  sea-caverns  roll ; 

And  a  choir  of  shell 

Ring  the  funeral  knell, 
And  the  stars  with  their  weeping  grow  dim. 

XX. 

At  the  door  of  her  cell 

The  coral  worked  well, 
And  builded  a  ruby  wall  high, 
Where  evenly,  heavenly,  folded,  she  lies, 

With  a  pearl  on  her  heart, 

And  a  shell  on  her  eyes  — 
A  shell  of  the  hues  of  the  beautiful  skies. 


CHAPTER    LI. 

THE    BUSY    NOTE    OF    PREPARATION. 

IT  was  near  the  middle  watch  —  the  Aldebaran  went 
plowing  a  good  furrow  through  the  rippling  sea.  With 
a  steady,  favorable  wind,  few  alterations  were  required 
in  the  sails,  and  most  of  the  crew  were  asleep.  Those 
on  the  look  out  were  away  ahead,  near  the  bowsprit, 
and  with  the  exception  of  the  solitary  steersman,  the 
other  sailors  lay  coiled  about  the  wheel  near  the  taff- 
rail. 

Lulled  by  the  soft  sea-breeze,  the  drowsy  sentry  shuf- 
fled sleepily  to  and  fro  on  his  lonely  round,  occupying 
the  middle  of  the  upper  deck,  about  the  mainmast. 
Little  was  he  or  the  corporal  of  the  guard  disturbed 
that  night  by  the  men  coming  up,  on  one  pretence  or 
another,  for  a  breath  of  fresh  air.  They  slept  well  after 
the  pageantry  of  the  day,  and  an  unusually  liberal  al- 
lowance of  the  commissary  fare  —  topt  by  a  desert  of  rice 
and  molasses. 

Not  asleep  was  Faca.  Quite  motionless  she  lay,  fear- 
ful of  disturbing  Constant ,  her  poor  little  brain  busy  with 


NOTE      OF      PREPARATION.  257 

hor  troubles.  Little  did  her  lover  know  how  sorely 
her  heart  was  tried  —  sorely,  sorely.  She  found  herself 
face  to  face  with  troubles  such  as  she  little  apprehended 
when,  a  bit  of  a  girl,  she  last  parted  from  her  parents 
and  inilitar}'  people  :  or  even  lately,  when  she  so  gladly 
rejoined  them.  She  was  beset  by  dangers  on  every 
hand.  Her  present  position  was  bad  enough,  but  her  pre- 
sent position  she  must  change  —  possibly  for  a  worse. 
She  must  enter  into  one  or  other  of  two  new  worlds. 
But  single  or  married — much  as  she  had  formerly  loved 
it,  she  now  looked  with  loathing  upon  life  in  the  ranks. 
To  exchange  it  for  one  in  the  class  above  her,  to  subject 
herself  possibly  to  the  sneers  of  proud  women,  to  find 
herself  in  one  rank  in  life,  and  her  parents  in  another, 
was  equally  abhorent.  Yet  hero  lay  her  taste,  and 
there  her  heart.  Many  find  themselves  placed  so. 

Faca  was  not  of  a  calculating  spirit ;  but  the  forecast 
of  such  a  mind  as  hers  is  a  sort  of  divine  instinct  —  given 
for  self-protection.  Women  overleap  logic  at  a  bound,  as 
Alvarado  overleaped  the  charm  in  the  causeway. 

Faca  knew  where  her  peril  arose. 

"Oh!"  she  inwardly  exclaimed,  "could  I  but  rid 
myself  of  my  beauty  !  —  these  fatal  charms  ! " 

Below  in  the  band  room  the  conspirators  were  met. 
There  was  the  tall  and  polished  drum-major,  and  the 
wily  priest,  Temple,  and  the  others,  —  among  them  sat 
the  ghost.  George  appeared  hagivnrl.  and  wore  sr.eh  n 


253  FACA. 

dogged  look  as  desperate  men  wear  when  hope  has  long 
been  a  stranger. 

"  St.  Paul  admonishes,"  said  the  priest,  "  to  '  take  a 
little  wine  for  our  stomach's  sake  and  our  often  infir- 
mities.' Knowest  thou,  son  Bardolph,  whether  there  be 
any  within  reach  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Holy  Father,  we  wait  only  for  the  guard  to 
change." 

"  By  St.  Lazarus !  my  son,  I  hope  the  guard  will 
change  soon.  My  dry  throat  has  been  doing  penance 
for  its  many  sins  these  twenty  days. 

The  diplomatic  Temple  looked  at  the  priest  with  eyes 
that  said :  "  There  may  be  other  things  to  tickle  thy 
Holy  Father's  throat." 

In  short  the  future  secretary  of  state  was  an  Amer- 
ican, and  taking  practical  views  of  things,  undertook  to 
per&uade  his  confederates  against  "liquoring,"  as  he 
called  it,  just  on  the  eve  of  their  attempt.  It  was  in 
vain.  A  carousal  was  decided  on,  since  liquor  was 
known  to  lie  in  the  hospital  steward's  room,  cases  of 
pure  medicinal  cognac. 

It  would  seem  as  if  God  often  filled  the  wicked  with 
desires,  which  tend  to  defeat  them  in  their  wickedness. 
The  event  calculated  to  restore  the  priest's  thro.at  to  a 
state  of  peace  with  his  conscience  soon  happened.  The 
tramp  of  the  guard  was  heard,  and  a  half-hour  after- 
wards the  priest  and  the  two  Bardolph's  stole  up  the 


NOTE      OF      PREPARATION.  259 

steps  —  known  as  the  "  womcns'  stairway,"  for  it  was  here 
the  women  made  their  ascent  to  the  deck  —  and  all  at 
length  found  themselves  in  the  starboard  lobby,  or  pas- 
sage leading  between  the  quarter-deck  and  bulwarks. 
At  the  forward  extremity  of  this  passage  Mr.  Bardolph 
stationed  himself  whispering  to  his  mates. 
"  The  guard  are  mostly  asleep." 
"  The  corporal  is  wide  awake." 
"  The  sentinel  is  down  towards  the  galley." 
"  Now  he  comes  this  way  —  draw  ;  draw  back !" 
The  slight  noise  and  whisperings  made  by  this  noc- 
turnal band  near  her  window  excited  Faca's  attention, 
as  she  lay  in  her  berth  tossing  with  her  emotions.     She 
listened  the  more  attentively  from  her  nervous  condition, 
and   on   account  of  the  personal   fear  that  she   had 
already,  alas  !  experienced. 

"  What  now  ?  "  she  cried  shuddering  to  herself.     "  I 

know  not  what  to  expect     I  will  awake  grandmother." 

But   grandmother  slept  so  soundly  it  were  a  great 

pity  to  disturb  her  —  and  she  couid  not  go  to  sleep  again, 

old  as  she  was. 

"  No  ! "  thought  she,  "  't  will  do  no  good  either,  and 
'tis  bad  enough  to  have  one  poor  unprotected  female 
conscious  of  her  danger.  Sleep  on,  dear  grandmother  ! " 
Half  terrified,  yet  with  keen,  listening,  curious  ear, 
Faca  lay,  in  the  upper  berth  of  the  state-room.  The 
window  was  open,  but  a  small  Venetian  blind  shutter 


260  FACA. 

protected  the  beautiful  from  all  eyes,  save  God's  and 
the  holy  angels. 

It  was  arranged  that  George  the  ghost  should  flit 
along  in  the  shadow  of  the  bulwarks  and  rigging  on  one 
side,  while  the  sentry  and  corporal  were  on  the  other ; 
go  around  the  galley  while  the  sentry  was  on  the  stern 
end  of  his  post,  and  steal  into  the  steward's  room. 

They  whispered  so  low  that  Faca  could  not  distinguish 
whose  voices  they  were ;  she  could  in  fact  only  hear  a 
word  now  and  then  —  but  one  of  them  was  —  "  corporal," 
and  disguise  it  from  herself  as  she  might,  Faca  felt 
great  interest  in  a  certain  corporal.  And  so,  with  her 
feminine  instinct,  she  suspected  that  Bardolph,  her  cor- 
poral's foe,  composed  one  of  that  skulking  band  of  mid- 
night whisperers  under  her  window. 

Now  her  fear  took  a  new  form  —  for  him.  And,  such 
is  the  privacy  of  love,  how  glad  was  she  that  her  grand- 
mother had  not  been  awakened  !  But  not  a  sentence 
could  she  hear ;  with  all  her  sharp  listening,  and  timid, 
loving,  delicate  instincts  aroused. 

Soon  the  sounds  ceased  entirely.  In  a  few  moments  — 
it  seemed  longer  to  Faca  —  there  was  the  least  possible 
noise  of  footsteps,  and  then  the  same  voices  louder,  elate 
with  some  achievement. 

"  How  many,  my  son  ? "  That  was  not  the  drum 
major's  voice. 

"Nine,"  said  another — unknown. 


NOTE      OF      PKEPARATION.  261 

"  Jesu  !  that's  good  !  "  whispered  the  first. 

"  The  sentinel  saw  me  as  I  rounded  to,  but  I  fetched 
up  all  standing,  and  then  bore  down  on  him  a  fathom 
or  so,  till  he  snugged  up  under  the  corporal's  wing, 
he  !  he  ! 

"There!"  said  Faca  to  herself.  "The  'corporal' 
again." 

Hark  !  it  was  Bardolph's  voice  now  ;  she  .knew  it  in- 
stantly. 

"Did  the  steward  stir?" 

"  No,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  opened  the  door  softly  ;  I 
stood  at  it,  with  the  moon  shining  on  my  face  bloody  as 
ever,  and  chains  on  my  hands  too  ;  it  almost  scared  me 
to  look  at  myself." 

"  But  the  bottles  ! "  said  an  impatient  voice.  "  Nine 
you  say,  my  sou,  are  you  sure  they  contain  the ?" 

"  Yes,  the  box  was  not  nailed  down.  Here,  Holy 
Father,  smell  of  that." 

Faca  heard  a  hearty  snuff  and  then  a  gurgling  sound, 
terminated  by  a  satisfactory  "Ugh  !  'tis  good,  by  Saint 
Lazarus  ! " 

"  Pass  it  around,  my  hearties,  before  we  go  below," 
said  the  same  voice  that  had  mentioned  "  the  corporal." 
Faca  knew  it  well  enough  from  that. 

"  Verily  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,  my  son,  and 
we  may  not  muzzle  the  ox  treading  out  the  corn.  A 
bottle  or  two  will  not  be  missed  below  by  the  brethren. 


262  FACA. 

"  A  truce,  mates  ! "  It  was  Bardolph's  again.  "  Be- 
fore our  heads  are  heated  with  wine,  and  before  we 
rejoin  our  party,  we  must  fix  our  plan.  Three  are  none 
too  few." 

The  whispering  again  became  too  indistinct  for  Faea's 
ears.  She  could  only  hear  a  word  or  two  at  intervals. 

"The  poison  —  arms  below  —  corporal  —  officers  — 
guard  —  he — they  —  we  —  "  were  all  she  could  dis- 
tinguish ;  but  they  were  terrible.  She  thought  of  seek- 
ing out  corporal  Marshal,  but  knew  not  where  among 
so  many  men  to  find  him  ;  and  to  communicate  her  fears 
to  others  —  possibly  they  were  fancies  of  her  over- 
wrought brain  —  might  expose  her  to  calumny  or  ridicule. 
Then  she  would  wake  Lieutenant  Soldan,  but  she  shrank 
back  from  this  with  tremulous  modesty.  "  The  major  —  " 
no,  she  would  go  down  to  her  father. 

The  noises  had  died  away  long  before  she  resolved  on 
her  course.  The  whisperers  were  gone.  Without  dis- 
turbing Constanza  she  arose,  drew  on  her  morning  robe, 
threw  a  shawl  over  her  head  and  shoulders,  and  went 
down  to  the  married  peoples'  apartments.  But  as  she 
gained  the  door  of  her  father's  room,  her  eye  was 
attracted  by  a  light  under  the  door  of  a  neighboring 
room.  This  was  an  irregular  thing.  Faca  knew  that 
it  was  the  band  room,  and  that  they  had  no  authority 
for  having  a  light  at  this  time. 

"•Bardolph's  room,"  she  whispered  to  herself,  "  they 


NOTE      OF      PREPARATION.  263 

must  be  in  there.  If  I  wake  father  it  will  only  alarm 
them.  I  will  listen." 

With  a  blush,  but  with  kitten-like  gentleness  and 
hesitating  caution,  she  crept  to  the  door. 

She  heard  many  things  ;  we  will  not  say  what,  but 
Faca  was  chained  to  that  post  by  the  omnipotent  in- 
terest at  her  heart.  It  was  not  the  corporal,  her  old 
playmate  and  present  lover,  not  him  alone,  in  danger, 
but  Lieutenant  Soldan,  and  all  the  ship,  she  thought, 
the  officers  at  least,  and  she  heard  her  father  mentioned 
as  among  the  doomed.  And  yes  !  O  God  !  yes,  among 
ribald  jests  her  own  name  !  "  Faca  !  Faca  !  "  with 
toasts  to  her,  and  hip-hip-hurrahs  ! 

And  that  dreadful  man,  Bardolph  !  he  pronounces 
her  name,  there,  in  that  den  of  midnight  revelers  and 
thieves,  and  murderers  perhaps. 

Bardolph  has  not  said  many  words  but  now  he  waxes, 
warm  with  wine.  He  sings. 

MR.    BARDOLPH'S    SONG   OF   THE    SYBARITE. 

"  Speak  low  to-night !   commune  with  me  in  numbers, 

As  angels'  soft  and  sweetly  tongued, 
My  earthly  part  within  me  child-like  slumbers, 

Tired  of  the  sports  that  to  the  day  belonged. 

A  song  !   A  song  !   my  soul  demands  a  song  ! 

This  prosy  calm  of  life  is  death  ! 
I  'd  fling  my  feelings  with  the  swell  along, 

And  bound  to  music  with  my  panting  breath. 


264  FAG  A. 

Away  !   let  beauty  come  !   all  sense  to  steep 

In  orient  effluence  sweet — 
Bring  cheeks  that  glow,  and  forms  that  glide  and  leap 

To  arms  of  happiness  with  transports  meet. 

Slaves  !   bring  me  wine  !   blood-red,  that  beats  the  brain 

To  foaming  madness  in  its  joy  I 
Let  me,  as  'twere  life's  brimming  goblet  drain, 

And  dash  to  earth  the  cup  —  a  shattered  toy  ! " 

Suiting  action  to  word,  the  drum-major  threw  the 
metal  cup  from  him  with  such  violence  that,  the  mad 
words  she  had  heard,  the  terror  under  which  she  suffered, 
and  her  nervous  condition,  needing  only  the  startling 
sound  of  the  cup's  concussion  against  the  fbor —  she 
fell  heavily.  Like  lightning  Bardolph  sprang  out,  and 
caught  her  convulsed  form.  Petrified  with  horror,  her 
very  tongue  seemed  a  lap-stone,  and  refused  to  shriek. 
With  one  wild  look  she  closed  her  eyes,  and  sank  lifeless 
in  the  arms  of  her  terrible  enemy. 

"  Mates,"  said  Bardolph  with  a  voice  cold,  clear,  and 
calm,  "  we  must  go  on  with  the  work,  we  have  not  time 
for  poison  now.  Cold  steel  must  do  the  business.  Leave 
this  woman  to  me.  Not  a  moment  to  be  lost." 

He  had  drawn  her  into  the  room,  and  the  conspirators 
stood  dumb  around- 

"  Holy  Father  I  —  George  !  — you  two,  at  least,  know 
the  opportunity  will  slip  as  soon  as  this  woman  wakes, 
or  is  even  missed.  Avrnv  ! " 


NOTE      OF      PREPARATION.  265 

"Ay!}'  muttered  George,  "'t  is  always  so;  he's 
never  where  the  blow  is  to  be  struck  ! " 

"  Pooh  !  pooh  man  ! "  said  Bardolph  mastering  his 
passion  by  a  powerful  effort.  "  I  will  join  you  in  a  mo- 
ment. Away  ! " 

"  Come  !  quick  !  away  ! "  echoed  Temple.  Now  or 
never  ! " 

And  Bardolph  was  alone  with  his  beautiful,  helpless 
victim. 

23 


CHAPTEK    LII. 

THE    SHELL    BURSTS. 

THIS  way,  quick  !  rapidly,  but  no  noise,"  said  the 
priest  to  the  ex-doctor. 

The  two  separated  themselves  from  their  confederates. 
The  latter  led  by  Temple  flew  into  the  main-deck  quar- 
ters where  the  troops  were  lodged,  then  separately  went 
to  the  bunks  of  those  whose  minds  they  had  severally 
prepared  for  the  event,  or  rather  some  event,  that  was 
to  make  them  all  rich  and  powerful. 

"To  the  gun-room  !  to  the  gun-room  !"  whispered 
each  daring  conspirator,  gently  but  effectually  awaken- 
ing his  man.  And  the  first  noise  heard  aboard  the 
ship  by  the  guard  and  watch,  was  from  the  forcing  open 
of  musket  boxes.  In  a  moment  all  was  noise  and  con- 
fusion. 

"  Guard  ho  !  up  men  ! "  cried  the  corporal  of  the 
guard,  and  with  them  at  his  heels,  he  went  tearing  down 
the  stairway,  forcing  his  passage  by  blows  and  thrusts, 
through  the  bewildered  soldiery,  several  of  whom  aimed 
ineffectual  blows  at  his  head  after  he  had  passed  ;  and 
by  the  time  the  gun  room  was  reached  he  was  entirely 


THE      SHELL      BURSTS.  -!G7 

detached  from  his  party,  who  were  more  easily  thrust 
aside,  scattered  and  stricken  down  in  the  melee. 

Not  an  instant  did  the  corporal  pause.  He  held  in 
his  hand  nothing  but  a  bayonet,  the  arm  of  the  whole 
guard.  Springing  to  an  open  box  of  muskets  he  seized 
one,  and  jumping  upon  the  box,  whirled  the  musket 
around  his  head  with  such  velocity  as  to  render  any 
approach  to  himself  or  the  box  impossible. 

The  next  moment  Clincher,  whose  watch  it  was, 
stood  in  the  gun-room,  grasping  a  musket. 

The  two  brave  men  now  boldly  advanced  against  a 
party  of  the  conspirators  who  had  equipped  themselves 
with  arms —  fortunately  there  was  no  ammunition  within 
reach,  that  being  stowed  away  on  the  orlop  deck  below. 

While  the  corporal  engaged  one  of  the  foremost, 
another  flew  by  him  with  a  growl  like  that  of  an  en- 
raged lion.  It  was  George. 

"  Remember  the  brass  knuckles  ! "  he  roared,  and 
clasping  and  raising  his  two  hands  armed  with  the  iron 
fetters — for  they  were  loosed  from  only  one  wrist  — 
he  dealt  his  old  enemy  such  a  blow  on  the  forehead  as 
felled  Clincher  to  the  deck,  completely  bereft  of  sense. 
Passing  over  his  prostrate  body  and  administering  to  it 
a  brutal  kick,  George  sprang  through  the  crowd,  gained 
the  gun-room  door,  then  the  hatchway,  and  jumped  down 
upon  the  orlop  deck. 

Divining  the  intentions  of  the  mutineer,  the  Corporal 


268  FAG  A. 

was  about  to  rush  after  him,  when  several  of  the  con- 
spirators pressed  him  to  the  wall,  and  forced  him  to  be 
content  with  self  defence.  This  he  was  fully  equal  to, 
as  he  had  learnt  the  practice  of  musket  and  bayonet  to 
perfection,  while  his  adversaries  were  all  unskilled.  Yet 
they  pressed  him  sorely  —  the  breath  of  his  body  was 
nearly  exhausted.  He  retreated  sideways  towards  the 
door. 

"  Look  out  for  the  stairways  !  keep  the  officers  from 
coming  down  !  "  cried  George  from  below. 

A  rush  was  accordingly  made  for  the  stirways,  by 
those  outside  the  gun-room,  while  those  within  were  now 
dashing  at  the  corporal,  now  prying  open  musket-boxes, 
and  passing  out  the  arms  to  their  confederates. 

"  Men,"  cried  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  "  will  you 
see  me  killed  ?  will  you  allow  the  ship  to  be  taken  by 
these  pirates?" 

But  the  well  inclined  were  bewildered  and  powerless, 
they  were  like  children,  and  without  a  leader. 

A  shot  was  heard  and  a  man  fell.  It  came  from  the 
direction  of  the  forward  stairway,  and  hewing  a  path 
with  his  sabre  through  the  thick  masses,  Old  Sol  appear- 
ed hastening  towards  the  gun-room.  The  next  instant 
he  stood  by  that  brave  corporal. 

"  Leave  me,  sir,"  said  the  latter,  "  there  is  a  man 
below  after  the  ammunition,  if  he  finds  it  all  is  lost  ! 
I  '11  keep  them  in  here. 


THE      SHELL      BURSTS.  269 

"  Cheery,  my  hearties  !  "  sang  out  George,  I  'm  a 
coming  on  to  it  now.  But  don  't  wait,  bullies  ;  push  up 
and  secure  the  spar-deck  and  cabin." 

"  Take  this  pistol,  my  man,"  said  Old  Sol. 

"  No  sir,"  replied  the  corporal  coolly,  "  I  can  defend 
myself ;  shots  are  scarce." 

Old  Sol  vainly  endeavored  to  press  the  pistol  into  the 
brave  fellow's  hand,  then  fought  his  way  with  his  sabre 
to  the  hatch  opening  down  to  the  orlop  deck. 

"  Steady  there  !  "  cried  the  voice  of  George.  "  Come 
down  another  step  and  I'll  blow  up  the  ship."  He 
stood  with  a  lighted  torch  in  the  midst  of  powder  kegs, 
one  of  which  was  open.  He  had  not  yet  passed  any  up  — 
thank  God  for  that ! 

"  Jupiter  and  Diana  !  Thunder  and  lightning  !  Ju- 
lius Caesar  !  Christopher  Columbus  !  I  '11  be  among 
ye  ! "  exclaimed  a  clear  ringing  voice  in  rifle  cracks, 
and  down  burst  the  major,  sabre  and  revolver  in  either 
hand  ;  and  soon  Swallow  and  Nebulus  and  Junks  were 
there.  The  two  young  officers  together  with  old  Ser- 
geant Trainor,  began  forming  the  men,  obedient  to  the 
major's  orders.  Junks,  armed  only  with  the  brass 
knuckles,  was  striking  soldiers  down  right  and  left  in- 
discriminately. He  gained  the  gun-room  door,  and 
beholding  Clincher's  lifeless  form,  the  noble  tar  burst 
into  loud  lamentations.  By  this  time  the  corporal  was 

forced  outside  the  door. 

23* 


270  FACA. 

"  Charge  Bayonets  ! "  ordered  Temple,  and  forth  the 
small,  compact,  determined  body  of  conspirators  rushed, 
and  the  corporal  and  Junks  were  driven  before  them  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet  like  chaff  before  the  wind. 

"  Halt  !  "  thundered  the  major. 

Involuntarily  the  mutineers  halted. 

"On  !  on  ! "  shouted  George  from  below,  precluded 
by  Old  Sol  (who  watched  him  tiger-like,  and  stood  guard 
over  the  hatch)  from  serving  out  ammunition,  but  sul- 
lenly reserving  himself  the  honor  of  blowing  up  the 
ship,  should  his  party  be  defeated. 

Those  of  the  soldiers  who  had  received  the  muskets 
outside,  were  already  disarmed  with  little  trouble  by  the 
activity  of  Swallow  and  Nebulus.  The  former's  sabre 
strokes  are  remembered  to  this  day,  while  the  cool  cut- 
and-thrust  of  the  dandy  inspired  wholesome  terror. 

"  I  '11  perforate  you,  my  fine  fellow,"  said  he  to  a  dra- 
goon mutineer  who  ventured  to  withstand  him.  Nebulus 
gave  him  a  lunge  in  tierce,  and  down  dropt  the  dragoon's 
sabre  on  the  floor,  as  his  sword-arm  swung  lifeless  to 
and  fro. 

"  Don't  fire,"  cried  the  Major  often,  while  the  work 
of  disarming  was  going  forward. 

"  Don't  kill  a  man  !     I  want  the  ring-leaders." 

But  as  we  have  said,  the  chief  conspirators  had  ad- 
vanced from  the  gun  room,  and  stood  now,  only  an 
instant  however,  paralizcd  by  the  instinct  of  obedience. 


THE      SHELL      BURSTS.  271 

Again  they  spring  forward.  They  stand  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  stairway.  Here  Major  June  planted  himself 
with  a  terrihle  six-shot  revolver  in  his  hand. 

"  Now  or  never  !  "  cried  Temple. 

The  Major  fired,  and  the  attorney's  soul  went  to  the 
court  of  last  appeal. 

Swallow  sprang  to  the  Major's  side,  and  leveled  his 
pistol  at  the  mutineers. 

"  Don't  fire  !  "  ordered  the  old  officer,  in  his  clear  and 
steady  voice.  "  There's  too  much  blood  shed  already. 
My  men,  you  have  been  led  astray  by  yonder  villain 
and  others  —  lay  down  your  arms." 

They  grasped  them  the  more  fiercely.  The  Priest 
stood  at  the  head  of  the  ladder  beckoning.  Seeing  him, 
they  supposed  the  upper  deck  theirs,  and  advanced, 

cheered  on  by  the  shouts  of  George .     "  On,  brave 

bullies,  on  ! " 

The  voice  was  sepulchral  and  thick  with  baffled  spite. 
Many  shuddered  as  they  heard  it. 

At  this  moment  a  piercing  scream  went  through  the 
ship,  startling  all  the  beligerents,  and  causing  another 
pause.  Then  one  caught  the  eye  of  the  Priest  above. 
The  man  flung  away  his  musket  with  a  terrible  oath, 
ejaculating  something  about  "treachery  and  leaders." 

And  up  stepped  M.  Bardolph,  as  bland,  though  slight- 
ly pale,  as  a  May  morning. 


272  FACA. 

"  Can  I  help  you  sir  ?  "  said  the  arch  hypocrite,  touch- 
ing his  hat  to  the  Major. 

At  this  the  whole  party  of  conspirators  surrendered, 
with  sullen  reproaches  and  low  growls  of  vengeance. 
They  were  straightway  put  in  irons  and  taken  to  the 
upper  deck,  while  the  drum  and  fife  were  sounding  forth 
the  long  roll. 

And  a  drum  head  court  martial  was  ordered  forth- 
with in  the  cabin. 


CHAPTER    L  1 1  I . 

THE     SMOKE     CLEARS    AWAY. 

THE  mutiny  had  been  disconcerted  by  the  accident 
of  Faca's  fall  against  the  door. 

It  was  necessary  to  act  at  once,  and  the  programme 
of  proceedings  was  changed.  Thus  Providence,  by  an- 
other weak  instrument,  had  deranged  the  schemes  of 
the  wicked. 

The  design  of  the  conspirators  was  to  poison  all  the 
officers  —  this  was  the  Jesuit's  proposition.  The  ex- 
Doctor,  who  had  first  discovered  the  cognac,  reported 
that  in  his  search  after  brandy  among  the  medical 
stores,  he  took  up  a  bottle  labeled  "  poison,"  and  the 
Priest  seized  upon  the  idea. 

Leaving  the  others,  as  we  mentioned  in  the  last  chap- 
ter, the  Priest  and  his  companion  proceeded  cautiously 
to  the  steward's  room.  But  the  steward  was  now  awake. 
He  thought  ho  had  been  visited  by  a  fearful  vision  of 
George  the  Ghost,  and  now  lay  in  a  cold  sweat  of  agony 
doubting  his  senses.  The  midnight  visit  of  two  other 
faces  confirmed  him  in  the  opinion  that  he  was  still  in 
a  dreamy  state. 

The  Priest  muffled  his  face  and  stood  over  the  quiver- 


274  F  A  C  A . 

ing  steward  with  a  drawn  dagger,  while  Toombs  rum- 
maged the  box  and  found  the  poison.  The  couple  then 
withdrew. 

"  What  are  we  to  do  with  it  now  ?  "  whispered 
Toombs. 

"  Destroy  ourselves  and  die  like  Christians,  my  son," 
replied  the  Priest,  "  if  the  others  fail." 

The  two  were  yet  hesitating  upon  deck,  when  the 
guard  rushed  below.  Had  they  the  nerve,  they  might 
have  placed  themselves  at  the  companion  way,  and,  at 
least  awhile,  delayed  the  guard  and  the  officers  from 
descending  to  the  gun  room.  But  neither  Priest  nor 
physician  belongs  to  the  fighting  order  —  their  business 
lies  with  the  tortuous  windings  of  life's  secret  ways. 

Finding  the  deck  deserted  to  themselves  and  the 
crew,  they  went  about  in  whispers  tampering  with  the 
sailors.  And  while  the  ex-Doctor  portrayed  the  wrongs 
of  seamen,  and  the  dreadful  tyranny  of  captains  and 
mates,  as  exemplified  in  the  case  of  George,  the  Priest 
held  up  to  their  visions  pictures  of  power,  and  lives  of 
sensuality  in  Cuba,  not  stinting  his  promises  of  gold, 
glory,  and  heaven. 

Their  efforts  were  lost  upon  the  crew.  They  stood 
true  to  their  colors,  under  the  lead  of  old  Jack  and 
Harry  Joints  —  and  perhaps  intimidated  at  the  resolute 
bearing  of  the  skipper  on  watch. 

Meantime  the  arms  passed  out  from  the  gun  room, 


THE      SMOKE      CLEARS      AWAY.  275 

had  been  seized  by  Ncbulus  and  Swallow.  Two  mus- 
kets were  forced  into  the  hands  of  the  Priest  and  his  co- 
plotter,  and  they  were  stationed  as  sentinels  at  the  top 
of  the  two  stairways.  The  villains  soon  saw  that  the 
plot,  by  premature  explosion,  had  utterly  failed,  and 
they  only  hoped  now  to  save  their  own  necks  by  prompt 
obedience  to  authority.  It  was  the  holy  father's  at- 
tempt to  make  peace,  that  helped  to  paralize  the  con- 
spirators below  —  he  was  a  man  of  peace. 

"  Blessed  are  the  peace  makers,  for  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  God,"  meekly  said  the  Priest  to 
himself. 

"  Villain  !  "  exclaimed  Old  Sol  to  George,  "  your  con- 
federates are  defeated." 

"  Not  while  Bardolph  lives,  old  yellow  boy ! " 
"  Bardolph  !     He  is  now  assisting  to  disarm  them." 
"  Ha  !     Then  here  goes  ship,  soldiers,  Adolfo,  liberty, 
and  all !     He  then  ran  towards  the  open  powder  keg 
with  his  flaming  torch. 

Old  Sol  fired.  The  torch  dropped  from  George's  hand 
and  went  out.  Darkness  flew  down  upon  the  orlop  deck. 
And  nothing  was  seen,  nothing  heard  —  nothing  save  a 


CHAPTEK  LIV. 

THE  DRUM  HEAD  COURT  MARTIAL. 

FROM  peaceful  slumbers  to  bloody  work  the  soldier 
rises.  From  the  land  of  dreams  to  eternity  he  flies, 
leaving  his  pale  body  to  be  hid  away,  and  his  name  to 
be  cherished  with  warm  tears  at  some  humble  hearth- 
stone —  and  spelt  wrong  in  the  gazette. 

The  bodies  of  the  brave  soldiers  who  fell  in  the  Muti- 
ny of  the  Gulf,  were  brought  into  the  cabin,  together 
with  those  of  the  fallen  mutineers. 

Clincher  and  George  lay  side  by  side,  and  death 
waved  over  them  now  the  white  flag  of  final  peace. 
Death  is  the  great  peace  maker.  Life  is  war.  The 
heralds  of  one  defy  to  combats,  those  of  the  other  sound 
parley  and  truce. 

O,  mortal  breath  !  thou  art  a  living  poison.  "  Trea- 
sons, stratagems  and  spoils,"  mutinies  and  murders, 
banquet  on  thee  at  midnight.  Death  is  thy  antidote  ! 

The  officers  were  gathered  around  the  cabin  table, 
their  swords  still  wet  by  their  sides,  their  pistols  smok- 
ing before  them. 

"  I  have  summoned  you,"  said  Major  June,  standing 


THE     COURT-MARTIAL.  277  J 

near  the  head  of  the  table,  "  to  inquire  into  this  out- 
break. If  possible  you  are  to  detect  the  ring-leaders. 
If  you  succeed,  array  them  at  once,  try  them,  and  pass 
such  sentence  as  their  crimes  deserve  and  the  general 
safety  demands.  Having  done  this,  you  will  lay  your 
proceedings  before  me. 

The  Major  then  withdrew  to  look  after  the  wounded 
and  see  to  the  guards,  now  quadrupled,  and  posted  in. 
every  part  of  the  ship.  The  surgeon  was  already  caring 
for  the  former.  The  corporal  of  the  guard  was  in  ar- 
rest at  the  instigation  of  the  drum  major. 

As  the  mutineers  were  mostly  members  of  the  band, 
their  chief  was  the  first  witness  sworn. 

We  shall  not  go  into  the  details  of  that  midnight 
trial,  but  point  the  reader  to  the  main  particulars. 

Before  Bardolph  began  to  give  his  evidence,  the  cor- 
poral of  the  guard  was  brought  in. 

Old  Sol  started  back  amazed ;  darting  a  severe  look 
upon  the  witness,  he  inquired  — 

"  Is  this  one  of  the  accused  ?  " 

"'  He  is,  sir." 

"  Be  sure  !  I  saw  this  corporal  fighting  foremost 
against  the  rebels." 

"  Most  likely,  sir.     He  had  an  object/' 

"  Go  on,  sir ;  go  on,"  said  Lieutenant  Soldan,  "begin 
at  the  beginning." 

The  witness  then  swore  that  "  this  corporal  had  long 
24 


278  FACA. 

been  tampering  with  the  band,  in  fact  ever  since  hig 
arrest  and  confinement :  that  he  had  watched  him,  but 
knew  not  till  this  night,  what  might  be  his  motive. 
That  he  had  overheard  him  and  some  of  the  band  men 
talk  of  getting  at  the  hospital  stores.  At  the  time  he 
thought  it  was  for  brandy,  but  was  now  convinced  it  was 
for  poison.  The  hospital  steward  might  know  more  on 
this  point.  But  he,  the  drum-major,  was  convinced  that 
their  plan  to  poison  all  the  officers,  had  been  discon- 
certed by  his  jumping  out  of  his  bunk  to  report  them. 
The  corporal  had  knocked  him  down  in  the  band  room 
—  here  was  the  bruise  —  and  he  lay  there  senseless,  he 
knew  not  how  long,  but  as  soon  as  he  came  to,  he  heard 
a  great  noise,  saw  that  the  band  room  was  deserted,  and 
went  out  to  help  quell  the  mutiny.  He  was  sure  that 
it  had  been  precipitated  through  his  unintentional  means, 
and  thanked  God  fervently  that  it  had !  for  doubtless 
his  own  worthless  life,  and  the  valuable  services  of  all 
the  officers,  would  have  been  lost  to  the  country  under 
whose  proud  flag  they  served.  He  accounted  for  the 
corporal's  fighting  against  the  mutineers,  on  the  suppo- 
sition that  he  must  have  seen  at  once,  from  the  luke- 
warmness  of  the  soldiers  generally,  that  the  case  was 
hopeless,  and  wished  to  save  his  own  life  by  apparent 
zeal  on  the  other  side." 

The  testimony  of  the  hospital  steward  corroborated 
the  statement  of  the  drum-major.     Poison  had  actually 


THE      COURT-MARTIAL.  279 

been  extracted  from  the  box  of  medical  stores,  and  the 
accused  was  on  deck  and  on  guard  at  the  very  time ! 
He  could  not  have  been  many  feet  from  the  door.  In 
fact  the  room  had  been  entered  twice,  the  last  time  by 
two  men,  and  yet  the  corporal  had  not  prevented  it. 
His  orders  were  to  allow  no  soldiers  on  deck  without 
sufficient  reason.  Again,  how  could  the  prisoner  George 
have  been  released  without  the  corporal  of  the  guard's 
connivance  ? 

The  clouds  gathered  thick  and  black  around  his  head. 
The  corporal  stood  lost  in  astonishment.  Which  way  to 
turn  for  light  he  knew  not.  When  called  on  for  his 
defence,  he  could  only  deny  that  he  had  heard  or  seen 
men  enter  the  hospital  steward's  room,  or  that  he  had 
ever  tampered  with  the  band,  or  been  privy  to  George's 
release. 

"  I  would  ask  the  prisoner  a  question,"  said  Mr.  Bar- 
dolph. 

"  Ask  it,"  said  the  court,  "  the  prisoner  may  use  his 
pleasure  about  answering  it." 

"  Were  you  not  in  the  band  room  after  taps,  when 
you  should  have  been  abed,  last  night  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  prisoner  boldly,  "  but  I  cannot,  even 
to  save  my  life,  tell  how  it  happened  that  I  was  there, 
for  I  took  a  solemn  oath  of  secresy " 

"  An  oath  of  secresy  !  "  exclaimed  some  member  of 
the  court. 


280  FACA. 

This  was  enough. 

The  accused  was  then  set  aside  and  the  general  ex- 
amination continued.  The  members  of  the  band,  and 
others  taken  in  arms,  were  testified  against  as  to  the 
fact  of  their  open  mutiny.  But  the  corporal  of  the 
guard  was  thought  to  be  the  instigator  and  prime  mover 
in  the  drama,  and  the  conclusion  of  the  court  was,  that 
the  two  dead  men,  George  and  the  ex-lawyer,  were 
second  in  rank  and  guilt  to  him. 

The  younger  officers  were  for  pronouncing  instant 
sentence  of  death.  The  president,  lieutenant  Soldan, 
alone  hesitated.  He  had  seen  the  prisoner  fighting  a 
half  score  of  the  rebels  single  handed.  It  was  he  that 
pointed  out  the  danger  of  their  getting  the  ammunition. 
Old  Sol  was  in  a  maze. 

The  court  was  cleared  —  i.  e.,  prisoners,  witnesses, 
guards,  all  but  the  members  of  the  court  and  the 
stone-dead  bodies,  withdrew.  And  now  the  findings  and 
sentences  were  to  be  considered.  To  delay  the  punish- 
ment of  subordinates  was  considered  safe  ;  but  that  of 
this  arch  plotter,  this  master  mover,  who  could  on  the 
instant  seize  any  future  opportunity  to  renew,  with  bet- 
ter success,  the  horrors  of  this  night  —  no.  He  must 
be  condemned  at  once. 

Again  the  court  opened. 

"  Prisoner,"  asked  the  president  with  a  husky  voice, 
"  what  is  your  name  ?  " 


T  II  E      COURT-MARTIAL.       .  281 

William  Marshall,  sir." 

"Corporal  William  Marshall,  the  majority  of  the 
Court  Martial  are  of  the  opinion  that  you  arc  guilty  of 
mutiny.  The  cold  dead  bodies  before  you  were  once  in- 
habited by  warm  living  spirits,  as  hopeful  of  long  life, 
as  desirous  of  happiness,  as  just  in  all  their  earthly  ex- 
pectations as  yourself.  Though  not  by  your  hand,  yet 
through  your  instrumentality,  they  have  been  cut  off 
in  the  midst  of  their  years.  You  will  in  a  few  hours 
be  summoned  to  meet  them  in  another  world,  and  at  a 
higher  bar.  God  have  mercy  on  your  soul,  William,  for  " 
cried  the  warm  hearted  soldier,  with  moistened  eyes,  "  I 
cannot  on  my  life  believe  you  guilty." 

"  As  I  hope  for  happiness  in  that  bright  sphere  to 
which  my  soul  is  destined  to  go, -I  declare  I  am  not 
guilty,"  said  the  prisoner  with  icy  calmness. 

"Before  final  sentence  is  pronounced,  prisoner,"  said 
the  president,  ^  have  you  anything  to  say  that  might  in 
men's  minds  lessen  the  degree  of  your  crime,  your 
motives,  your  temptations,  probably  some  fancied 
wrong ?" 

"  Nothing,  sir.  In  the  wide  world  there  are  none  to 
mourn  for  William  Marshal.  Yet  unknown  as  I  am, 
the  son  of  respectable  parents,  but  long  since  dead,  I 
have  been  taught  to  regard  my  honor  more  precious 
than  life,  and  am  ready  to  die  at  sunrise  if  may 

be,  rather  than  break  an  oath.     Oh  !  if  there  were  one 
24* 


282        ..  FACA. 

heart,  one  loving  heart,  towards  whom,  out  of  all  the 
bright  and  beautiful  things  with  which  to  me  the  world 
is  filled,  I  might  turn  for  happiness  here,  I  could  not 
then  go  hence  so  calmly.  Death  has  no  terrors  for  me 
now.  If  you  believe  in  my  innocence,  sir,  that  to  me 
is  far  sweeter  than  life.  And  1  am  innocent.  God 
knows  I  am,  sir  ! "  The  unwilling  tears  at  last  stole 
down  his  face. 

"  Yes,  he  is  innocent  ! "  cried  a  voice.  And  old  Ser- 
geant Trainor  appeared,  urging  his  way  through  the 
crowd  in  the  cabin,  and  supporting  his  daughter  Faca, 
pale  as  a  sheeted  ghost. 


CHAPTER    LV. 

THE    LADY    AND    THE    GIANT. 

IN  order  to  bring  up  the  threads  of  our  narrative,  it 
is  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  moment  when  Faca  fell 
fainting  into  the  arms  of  Mr.  Bardolph. 

The  gleam  that  shot  from  his  baleful  eyes,  the  light- 
ning of  his  cloudy  soul,  gave  token  of  triumphant  joy 
within. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  mistress,"  he  cried  exultingly,  as  the  door 
closed,  leaving  him  alone  with  her.  "  Ha  !  ha  !  proud 
girl,  I  have  you  now  ! "  Then  drawing  her  senseless 
form  towards  him  as  he  sat  down,  he  imprinted  a  pas- 
sionate kiss  upon  her  cheek,  her  lips,  her  cold  cold 
forehead,  he  showered  them  upon  her  white  unconscious 
face  —  he  could  have  drank  her  in  with  his  lips. 

His  rude  fervor,  however,  quickly  restored  her  to  life, 
and  the  keen  bright  spirit  darted  back  to  its  throne  from 
the  realm  of  shadows,  in  time  to  save  its  beautiful  pure 
tenements  from  further  pollution.  The  white  leaf  on  her 
bosom  lay  unbrushed  by  his  foul  hand,  and  the  sweet 
rose  bud  at  her  heart  remained  unconscious  of  the  worm. 
Starting  wildly  she  sprang  from  his  arms,  but  would 


284  FAG  A. 

have  fallen  had  he  not  caught  her  again,  and  gently 
resting  her  upon  the  camp-stool,  he  assumed  a  respectful 
attitude  before  her.  Faca  pressed  both  hands  to  her 
temples,  doing  what  she  feebly  might  to  collect  her  scat- 
tered senses. 

"  Mr.  Bardolph  ?  "  she  said  with  a  bewildered  look. 

"It  is  I." 

"Those  rough  rude  men  !  that  dreadful  song  !  *my 
name  !  did  no  one  call  it  ?  " 

"  You  are  safe  now.  I  might  have  uttered  your  name, 
I  that  love  you  to  madness,"  he  exclaimed  falling  up- 
on his  knees  before  her. 

"  You  love  me  —  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  all  my  heart,  my  heart  of  hearts." 

«  Then let  me  go." 

"  You  may."     He  flung  open  the  door. 

The  weak  girl  arose  and  tottered  forward. 

"  Let  me  assist  you,"  he  said. 

She  moved  passively  on. 

"  Then  you  will  listen  to  me  ;  let  me  love  you  ?  "  he 
asked  imploringly,  and  so  respectfully. 

The  color  flashed  across  her  pale  cheek. 

"  No.     I  hate  you." 

"  Ha  ! "  he  cried  savagely.  The  door  was  reclosed, 
and  Bardolph  stood  before  her  with  folded  arms. 

Faca  felt  her  senses  reel  again,  but  she  made  an 
superhuman  effort  to  keep  up.  The  good  angels 


THE      LADY      AND     THE      GIANT.  285 

assisted  her,  but  so  faint  and  feeble  was  she  with  weak- 
ness, disordered  nerves,  and  terror,  that  she  was  constrain- 
ed to  seek  again  the  seat  she  had  just  left.  Her  heart 
oeat  in  her  throat,  she  had  not  power  to  speak. 

Noises  were  now  heard  outside.  Faca  listened  eagerly, 
but  they  were  far  forward.  Mr.  Bardolph  smiled.  His 
was  a  polished,  easy,  polite  smile  —  for  he  was  no  com- 
mon scoundrel.  Faca  saw  danger  in  it.  Trembling 
violently,  she  spoke  at  length. 

"  You  will  not  dare  to  keep  me  here — let  me  go,"  she 
added  haughtily,  her  eyes  afire  with  the  Spanish  blood  — 
seldom  roused. 

"  When  you  are  ready  to  listen  with  patience  to  my 
suit,"  he  answered. 

"  Is  this  a  place,  is  this  an  occasion,"  she  cried  through 
fast  falling  tears,  "  to  talk  of  love  —  would  you  force 
me  to  hate  you  more  than  I  do,  by  so  pretending  to  sue 
for  my  love  ?  Monster,  I  will  go  !  " 

She  arose  quickly,  but  her  trembling  limbs  refused 
to  do  their  office,  and  again  she  sank  upon  the  seat. 

"You  see,  my  dear  Faca  the  fates  are  against  you. 
This  is  an  hour  I  have  long  coveted,  and  since  you  can 
not  go  if  you  would,  we  will  talk  over  our  affairs. 
!Now  listen :  I  was  once  a  youth  of  promise,  my  family 
was  respectable,  or,  as  they  say,  aristocratic.  I  have  the 
pure  blood  of  old  Castile  in  my  veins.  As  the  elder  son, 
my  expectations  were  excellent  My  mother  was  a  saint, 


286  FACA. 

or  some  such  angel  as  you  are,  Faca.  I  had  a  sister, 
now  too  an  angel,  I  believe." 

"  You  have  a  sister  ?    You  ?    I  could  not  believe  it ! " 

"  Yes,  Faca,"  replied  Bardolph  with  heart-touching 
grief  upon  his  smooth  countenance.  "  She  was  an  only 
sister.  I  loved  her.  I  could  have  forgiven  them  for 
wronging  my  father  and  me,  but  for  tossing  her  into 
the  wild  hurricane  of  events  —  which  crushed  a  fragile 
flower,  for  that  I  curse  them  ! " 

Faca  shuddered  at  his  fierceness. 

"  Now,  proud  girl,  know  that  I  have  it  in  my  power 
to  raise  myself  again  to  affluence,  honor,  power ;  and 
you  may  be  the  sharer  of  my  splendid  fortunes.  Come, 
decide  iww,  for  I  must  go." 

The  voices  had  gone  on  increasing.  The  whole  ship 
was  evidently  astir.  People  were  even  rushing  through 
the  passage  going  by  the  band-room  door. 

"  Will  you  be  mine  ?  "  cried  Bardolph,  "  my  love,  my 
queen  ? " 

Faca's  heart  was  torn.  She  knew  that  the  rebels 
were  fully  at  work.  Should  they  succeed,  what  would 
be  the  fate  of  her  parents,  William,  Old  Sol,  and  all  the 
officers  ?  She  knew  now  that  Bardolph  was  their  leader  — 
to  keep  him  from  his  confederates,  above  whom  she 
knew  he  towered  in  intellect  —  to  make  use  of  the  fatal 
beauty,  her  natural,  God-ordained  dowry,  to  save  the 
precious  lives  of  those  she  loved  ;  in  short  to  make  the 


THE      LADY      AND      THE      GIANT.  287 

most  of  the  situation  in  which  she  was  placed,  for  the 
good  of  others  —  and  then  she  thought,  and  shuddered 
not,  death  might  end  her  woes  at  any  moment.  Such 
were  the  thoughts  that  flew  wildly  through  her  brain. 
To  delay  him  was  her  wish.  But  speech  she  could  not 
sufficiently  .-  <MTiand. 

The  report  of  a  pistol  was  heard.  Mr.  Bardolph  was 
frantic  with  impatience.  Greed  of  power  and  wealth, 
centered  in  the  operations  of  the  night,  were  fighting  at 
his  heart's  door  with  the  giant  passion  for  this  beautiful 
woman  before  him.  He  stamped. 

"  Time  is  more  precious  than  money,  daggers,  pistols, 
or  cannon,  he  said,"  "  will  you  be  mine  ?  " 

«  If »  Faca  faltered." 

"  No  if 's  shall  stop  me,"  he  cried,  flinging  his  arms 
about  wildly.  "  I  '11  break  the  opposing  world  to  pieces, 
pluck  up  society  by  the  roots,  invade  islands,  conquer 
kingdoms,  plant  you  on  thrones,  with  nations  at  your 
feet.  Ha  !  let  him  who  dares  now  come  between  Adolfo 
and  his  love,  beware  !  One  kiss,  my  Faca,  and  I  '11  go 
forth  to  conquer  or  die  a  thousand  deaths  for  you,  for 
liberty,  and  revenge  !  " 

Again  pistol  shots  were  heard.  The  raving  demon 
could  stay  no  longer ;  he  flew  upon  Faca,  and  seizing 
her  hands  exclaimed : 

"  A  kiss  !     A  kiss  !  my  bride  !  " 

Then  it  was  that  wild  piercing  shriek  was  heard  above 


288  F  A  C  A  . 

the  tumult  of  the  fight.  And  before  Bardolph  could 
find  his  way  to  the  lips  of  Faca,  the  door  was  opened, 
and  Constanza  stood  before  them.  Her  long  white 
3iight-robe  hung  down  to  the  floor.  A  mantle  partly 
covered  her  wildly-dishevelled  grizly  hair.  In  her  hand 
she  held  her  crucifix  —  tightly  —  tightly.  Bardolph 
started  back,  no  less  astonished  at  the  spectral  vision 
than  incensed  at  the  intrusion.  Faca  threw  herself 
sobbing  hysterically  upon  the  bosom  of  her  faithful  old 
nurse. 

"  Save  me  !  save  me  !  —  that  man !  —  that  giant !  — 
that  demon  ! " 

Something  was  on  the  lip  of  Constanza,  but  it  died 
away  beneath  the  terribly  intense  glare  of  those  cold 
black  eyes,  as  they  were  bent  upon  the  man,  convulsed 
with  rage  before  her.  He  was  the  first  to  break  the 
awful  silence,  as  Constanza  stood  rivetting  and  riveted 
to  the  spot,  glaring  and  still  glaring  upon  him  with 
those  unearthly  eyes. 

"  Speak,  ghost,  or  woman  ?  who  art  thou  ?  " 

"Thou  —  thou  —  thou  —  do  I  not  know  thee  ?  Adolfo 
Jarero  —  that  is  thy  name  ! " 

Heavens,  yes  ! " 

"  And  knowest  me  not  ? "  she  continued  in  a  wild 
passionate  strain.  "  These  arms  have  held  thee,  these 
breasts  have  suckled  thee,  these " 

"  Great  Christ  ! "  he  exclaimed.     "  Constanza  ! " 


THE      LADY      AND      THE      GIANT.  289 

'•  Ever  violent,  ever  untamable,  what  wouldst  thou 
do  with  this  poor  fluttering  dove  ?  How  hast  thou  lured 
her  to  this  den  ?  " 

Bardolph  gazed  some  moments  with  bewildered  sur- 
prise, then  by  an  effort  became  wonderfully  cool  and 
self-possessed. 

"  This  girl  I  will  protect" 

He  moved  towards  the  door  and  put  his  hand  gently 
upon  the  duenna's  arm. 

"  Come,  Constanza,  leave  us." 

She  shook  him  off. 

"What  a  great  villain  thou  art  become,  boy,"  she 
said  bitterly.  "In  thy  dear  mother's  name,  in  thy 
angelic  sister's,  I  command  thee  desist  from  thy  hor- 
rible purposes." 

"  Fool  !  go  to  thy  bed  and  mumble  prayers  to  thy 
saints." 

"  Adolfo  !  "  she  hissed  between  her  teeth  in  Spanish, 
"  this  is  thy  sister's  child.! " 

Adolfo  staggered  back  and  gazed  upon  Faca. 

"  Thou  liest  woman  !  I  see  no  trace  of  likeness,  her 
features,  her  eyes,  so  different.  Bat  say  so,  say  so, — 
I  am  her  uncle.  It  is  my  right  to  protect  her.  Go  to 
bed  !  I  '11  not  answer  even  for  thy  life,  if  seen." 

"  I  will  not  trust  you  Adolfo.     Come  my  child." 

Then  the  two  feeble  ones  moved  towards  the  passage. 
Adolfo  no  longer  blind  with  passion,  but  fearful  that 
25 


290  F  A  C  A . 

Faca  might  betray  him,  attempted  "by  force  to  detain 
the  maiden.  She  fell  heavily  upon  the  nurse's  arm  and 
swooned  away. 

"Jesu!"  Constanza  cried,  "can  nothing  stay  thee? 
Then  know  that  I  am  thy  mother,  Adolfo,  thine  own 
true  mother  !  thy  mother  !  thy  mother  ! "  She  shrieked 
as  if  the  long  p?nt  secret,  in  coming,  rent  the  rock.  "  I 
command  thce  let  us  go,  away !  away !  off !  unhand 
her  !  help  !  help  !  " 

The  door  was  flung  open,  and  William  sprung  in. 
With  a  hlow  of  his  musket  he  felled  the  Spaniard,  and 
hore  off  Faca  in  his  arms.  He  carried  her  to  her  moth- 
er's room,  where  she  long  lay  fainting  and  coming  to, 
her  sweet  strong  spirit  still  — 

"  Hovering  like  a  star  between  twrf  worlds, 
Upon  the  horizon's  verge,  'twixt  night  and  morn." 

That  notnhle  little  woman,  Mrs.  Trainor,  had  rot  her 
equal  among  camp-women,  for  handy  care  on  the  in- 
stant of  trouhle,  and  her  re.idy  skill  worked  wonders. 
But  time  passed  fearfully  fast,  and  Constanza  stamped 
with  witch-like  rage,  to  hear  that  corporal  Marshal  was 
being  proved  a  mutineer,  and  likely  to  die.  She  knew 
he  was  innocent ;  hut  Faca  alone  could  prove  it. 

And  her  son  —  O,  God  !  what  next  ? 


CHAPTER    LVI. 

THE    TRIAL    PROCEEDS. 


There's  a  soul  in  the  beak  of  the  wind, 
That  doth  shriek  with  remorse  and  despair, 
Till  'tis  whirled  the  tall  bastions  behind, 
And  goes  wandering  and  crazed  through  the  air. 

JONATHAN  PUNCH. 


THE  Mow  which  felled  Bardolph  stunned  him,  a  man 
of  herculean  strength,  hut  for  the  moment.  When  he 
arose,  his  transports  were  sensihly  moderated.  He  went 
forward  instantly,  however,  to  take  that  part  in  the  fray 
which  policy  might  point  out  on  the  spot ;  for  he  was  a 
man  of  quick  observation  and  ready  decision.  He  saw 
there  was  no  chance  for  his  party,  and  resolved  to  save 
himself  at  any  sacrifice. 

He  knew  that  Marshal  was  corporal  of  the  guard  that 
night,  and  such  a  sacrifice  —  his  rival !  was  douhly 
welcome  —  coupled  with  revenge  ! 

And  now  Bardolph's  triumph  seemed  complete.  Final 
sentence  was  ahout  to  be  pronounced :  sunrise  was  to 
witness  its  execution  at  the  yard-arm. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  "  he  fiercely  laughed  to  himself ;   when 


292  FACA. 

he  was  confounded  utterly  by  the  appearance  of  Faca, 
and  the  voice  of  sergeant  Trainor  crying-  — 

"  William  is  innocent !  William  is  innocent !  Gen- 
eral Jackson  !  we'll  prove  it !  " 

Although  the  testimony  in  the  case  was  closed,  and 
notwithstanding  the  members  of  the  court  seemed  un- 
shakably  convinced  of  the  corporal's  guilt,  yet  at  lieu- 
tenant Soldan's  urgent  solicitation,  the  new  evidence 
was  admitted. 

The  drum-major's  hopes  revived  as  Faca  told  all  she 
knew.  It  really  amounted  to  little  by  itself,  and  as 
arrayed  against  the  overwhelming  weight  of  evidence 
against  the  prisoner,  it  amounted  to  nothing  at  all. 

The  fact  that  she  heard  the  whisperers  under  her 
window  mention  so  often  the  word  "  corporal,"  seemed 
to  strengthen  the  case  against  him.  Evidently,  thought 
the  wise  court,  some  "  corporal "  must  have  been  in  the 
plot,  and  who  so  likely  as  the  corporal  of  the  guard, 
under  whose  very  eyes,  ears,  and  nose  so  much  had  been 
done  before  any  alarm  was  given  ? 

Besides,  Faca  could  not  swear  that  the  prisoner  was 
not  in  the  room  with  the  revelers,  among  whom,  it  ap- 
peared to  the  charitably  disposed  court,  Bardolph  was 
forced  to  mingle  for  his  own  safety. 

The  fact  is,  that  once  fix  a  prejudice  in  the  minds  of 
"an  intelligent  jury,"  and  neither  man,  woman,  angel, 
nor  devil  can  root  it  out  —  short  of  main  force. 


THE      TRIAL      PROCEEDS.  293 

Old  Sol  alone  saw  the  drift  of  the  new  evidence. 
Eising  at  last  from  the  table,  he  said  — 

"  Gentlemen,  I  wash  my  hands  of  the  blood  of  this 
man.  I  cannot  pronounce  sentence  against  him.  I 
know  it  is  an  irregular  proceeding,  but  I  must  withdraw 
from  the  court.  I  will  suffer  arrest  and  trial  myself, 
sooner  than  proceed." 

"  Stay  sir  !  "  uttered  a  voice  near  the  door,  and  the 
ex-doctor  come  forward. 

"  I  can  prove  the  prisoner's  innocence,  and  fix  the 
guilt  where  it  belongs."  The  president  resumed  his 
chair. 

Then  "  Aha  !  "  laughed  the  devil  into  the  ear  of  the 
giant.  "  Aha !  ha !  —  he,  he,  he,  he  !  Mr.  Bardolph ! " 

And  that  blessed  child  of  God,  the  peace  maker  of 
the  order  of  St.  Ignatius,  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door 
of  his  heart  too  ! 

False  priests  and  fair  hypocrites  fall  at  last. 

It  was  the  priest  and  Mr.  Bardolph,  —  and  not  cor- 
poral Marshal,  whom  the  sun  saw  that  morning  swing- 
ing lifeless  at  the  yard-arm  —  saw,  as  it  lifted  itself 
over  Cuba,  the  bleeding  queen  of  the  Antilles,  Niolbe 
of  the  Isles. 

Thus  fatally  terminated  the  mutiny  of  the  gulf.  And 
now  in  the  night,  as  the  watchful  mariner  on  that  tropic 
sea  stands  at  the  helm,  and  hears  wild  voices  moaning 
25° 


294  PACA. 

and  complaining  among  the  shrouds,  he  shudders  to 
think  they  are  the  spirits  of  those  two  evil  men. 

"  Imprisoned  in  the  viewless  winds, 
And  blown  with  restless  violence  round  about 
The  pendent  world." 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

THE  KINGDOM  DOWN  BELOW. 

THE  solemnities  of  the  execution  of  the  drum-major 
and  the  priest,  together  with  their  burial,  and  that  of 
Clincher,  George,  and  the  others,  in  a  common  sepulchre, 
the  sea,  occupied  the  morning  following  that  fearful 
outbreak  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  beautiful  burial 
service  was  read  by  Swallow,  and  one  by  one  the  bodies 
of  our  brothers  were  committed  to  the  deep,  there  to 

behold  — 

"  A  thousand  fearful  wrecks  : 
A  thousand  men,  that  fishes  gnawed  upon  : 
Wedges  of  gold,  great  anchors,  heaps  of  pearl, 
Inestimable  stones,  unvalued  jewels, 
All  scattered  in  the  bottom  of  die  sea. 
Some  lay  in  dead  men's  skulls :  and,  in  those  holes 
Where  eyes  did  once  inhabit,  there  were  crept 
(As  7t  were  in  scorn  of  eyes,)  reflecting  gems, 
That  woo'd  the  slimy  bottom  of  the  deep, 
And  mock'd  the  dead  bones  that  lay  scatter 'd  by." 

There  lie  those  bodies,  with  faces  upturned,  "  looking 
for  the  general  resurrection  in  the  last  day,  and  the  life 
of  the  world  to  come,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  at 
whose  second  coming  in  glorious  majesty  to  judge  the 
world,  the  earth  and  the  sea  shall  give  up  their  dead. 


296 


Before  Adolfo  was  executed,  the  duenna,  with  many 
tears  —  the  first  the  stern  woman  had  shed  for  years 
over  her  own  sorrows,  though  her  heart  was  like  a  child's 
over  another's  —  was  suffered  to  see  him  alone.  Then 
the  secret  of  the  unfortunate  man's  birth  was  explained. 
Constanza  had  lost  her  husband  the  first  year  of  her 
marriage,  and  the  child  was  adopted  by  Don  Manuel 
and  Donna  Jarero,  to  whom  an  heir  was  long  denied. 
It  was  to  secure  his  fortune  that  she  gave  him  away. 
But  see  to  what  he  had  come  !  Afterwards  her  mistress 
was  blessed  with  Jorge  and  Francisca.  The  foster- 
children  had  grown  up  like  true  brothers  and  sister  > 
and  were  in  reality  the  veritable  children  of  one  com- 
mon parent,  Misfortune.  The  sons  of  sorrow  are  all  a 
common  brotherhood,  with  Christ  at  their  head  ;  yea, 
even  the  malefactors  on  the  cross. 

Mother  and  son  sobbed  and  wept  bitterly  till  those 
came  who  were  to  bear  him  to  execution.  Then  there 
was  a  long  embrace.  The  two  pressed  the  crucifix  to- 
gether with  their  lips. 

The  son  was  carried  away,  and  went  to  his  appointed 
place  among  the  dead.  The  mother  stayed  ;  she  had 
yet  her  place  among  the  living.  Faca  remained  to  her, 
the  last  of  the  beloved  family.  She  flung  herself  upon 
the  floor  of  her  state-room,  and  there,  alone  with  God, 
she  gathered  up  the  loins  of  her  heart. 


CHAPTER    LV1II. 

THE  WORLD  CONTINUES  TO  REVOLVE. 

THE  bloody  stains  were  soon  washed  away  from  the 
decks,  and  again  children  ran  about  laughing  in  their 
sunny  curls,  where  a  few  hours  ago  the  boards  were 
slippery  with  blood,  and  the  air  smoky  with  combat. 
The  regular  employments  of  soldiers  and  sailors  went 
on,  though  with  a  sort  of  hush  that  now  and  then  fell 
on  them,  taking  away  their  breath.  A  storm,  a  loud, 
fearfal,  howling,  wreck-threatening  storm,  would  have 
been  .a  welcome  relief  ! 

But  an  oppressive  three  day's  calm  followed.  As  if 
to  complete  the  "  leaden  dullness,"  the  ship  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  sort  of  bog  of  sea-weed  :  miles  and  miles 
of  it  was  seen  floating  in  massy  detachments. 

"  Some  forty  years  ago,"  said  the  skipper,  "  an  En- 
glish ship's  crew  were  alarmed  to  find  themselves  in  this 
very  region  almost  wedged  in  by  "sea-weed.  It  com- 
pletely covered  the  surface,  giving  the  appearance  of 
vast  meadows  ;  and  so  suggestive  of  land  that  they 
feared  touching  bottom  every  moment.  It  was  in  18 — . 
I  neaver  could  remember  dates." 

"  Why "    asked    Major  June,   "  do   the   geographers 


298  FACA. 

persist  in  calling  this  grand  body  of  water  a  '  gulf '  ? 
The  idea  may  be  suggested  by  the  indentation  it  makes 
into  the  continent ;  but  even  that  is  vast,  stretching 
across  eighteen  degrees  of  longitude,  and  around  thou- 
sands of  leagues  of  shore  ;  whereas  the  idea  of  a  '  gulf ' 
conveys  littleness  of  magnitude." 

"  The  sailors,  even,  call  it  the  '  bay/  "  said  Captain 
Handsallaround,  "  to  distinguish  it  from  the  gulf  stream, 
which  they  call  '  the  gulf/  as  crossing  the  Mediterranean 
they  call  '  going  up  the  straits.'  " 

"  It  is  a  larger  body  of  water  than  the  Mediterranean, 
sir/'  replied  the  major  warmly,  "  and  much  larger  than 
the  Baltic,  Black,  Caspian,  or  a  multitude  of  ponds  dig- 
nified with  the  name  of  '  seas.'  " 

"  It  is  glorious,  sir,  in  its  associations  too,  reflecting 
the  fame  of  such  men  as  Columbus,  Cortez,  De  Soto,  a 
score  of  our  American  admirals,  and  our  gallant  old 
chief,  Winfield  Scott,  long  life  and  green  laurels  to 
him  ! » 

"The  Spaniards  called  it  the  'Mexican  sea/  why 
should  not  the  Americans  ?  shall  they  do  it  less  honor, 
sir  ?  " 

The  attention  of  all  future  geographers  is  hereby 
called  to  this  subject,  on  the  peril  of  another  blast  from 
the  major.  And  surely  with  its  rich  setting  of  gems, 
Cuba  and  all  the  Antilles  shimmering  on  its  bosom, 
Florida,  the  "land  of  sun  and  flowers,"  Mexico,  the 


THE  WORLD  CONTINUES  TO  REVOLVE.  299 

silvery  country  of  the  Aztecs,  and  a  golden  cordon  of 
free  American  states  framing  it  around,  surely  it  may 
be  graced  with  the  name  of  sea.  And  herein,  too,  flows 
that  sea  _  of  itself,  Mississippi,  the  father  of  waters. 
Look  to  it,  I  say,  gentlemen  geographers ! 

During  those  stifling  three  days  of  calm,  the  humor- 
ous, droll  face,  and  dry,  extravagant  jokes  of  Clincher 
were  never  so  much  missed.  But  the  world  went  round 
without  him,  as  it  always  does  when  great  men  die,  to 
the  astonishment  of  all. 

And  the  usual  number  of  delinquencies  and  disciplin- 
ary punishments  occurred.  Sailors  were  sent  to  the 
mast  head,  and  soldiers  to  the  tread-mill ;  one  to  study 
astronomy,  the  other  to  mark  time. 

This  is  a  pitiful  world,  and  even  a  tragedy  must  be 
succeeded  by  a  farce. 

Yet  there  was  at  least  oney  and  possibly  three,  who 
still  took  a  dramatic  interest  in  life. 


CHAPTEK    LIX. 

THE    ANGEL    WAITS. 

Time  is  fleeting, 

And  our  hearts,  though  stout  and  brave, 
Still,  like  muffled  drums  are  beating 
Funeral  marches  to  the  grave.  — LONGFELLOW. 

CAN  the  reader  guess  who  were  the  "  three  "  we  spoke 
of  at  the  close  of  our  last  chapter  ? 

It  was  not  Major  June  for  one,  who  felt  deeply  morti- 
fied, and  wounded  in  point  of  reputation  too,  ai  the 
thought  of  mutiny  and  death  having  reared  their  horrid 
crests  in  the  midst  of  his  command. 

It  was  not  Junks  for  another,  although  he  still 
dreamed  of  "  that  gall,"  and  hoped  fondly  to  "  splice  " 
before  autumn. 

But  Old  Sol .  He  was  certain  that  Faca  had 

not  only  proved  herself  a  genuine  lady,  but  a  true  wo- 
man, and  he  was  more  deeply  in  love  than  ever. 

And  William  Marshal  was  one.  Strange  to  say,  the 
youth  was  willing  to  live  now.  He  was  regarded  by  all 
as  the  hero  of  the  late  event.  And  he  had  some  reason, 
though  little  enough,  to  hope  that  Faca  was  not  so  very 
indifferent  towards  him  after  all.  O,  no !  William 
was  in  no  hurry  to  die  now. 


THE      ANGEL      WAIT  a.  G01 

And  Faca,  she  was  the  third  ;  it  was  now  such  a  ques- 
tion of  life  and  death  with  her,  this  world  or  the  next, 
that  even  she  was  infatuated  with  the  wish  of  spending 
more  days  here  on  earth,  though  few  and  full  of  trouble 
they  were  likely  to  prove. 

Poor  Faca,  the  little  goddess  was  sick. 

The  events  of  the  last  few  days  have  prostrated  her 
low  upon  a  mortal  bed.  The  Helen,  for  whom  heroes 
and  giants  have  contended,  lifts  her  wan  eyes  to  the  ceil- 
ing of  her  chamber,  and  looks  back  into  a  dreary,  hor- 
rid waste  she  sees  up  there,  wishing  that  in  the  midst 
of  it  all  she  had  died  —  but  now,  0  !  now,  Faca  would 
live. 

The  good  surgeon  shakes  his  head  dubiously.  And 
Mrs.  Trainor,  the  bunchy  little  woman  so  bustling  before, 
is  quiet  now,  and  sad,  looking  often  into  the  eyes  of  her 
daughter,  "  to  see  what  she  wants,"  she  says  ;  but  Faca 
knows  full  well  that  is  not  it ;  she  knows  that  anxious 
look  too  well ;  it  has  a  far  off  gaze,  where  Death  sits  on 
the  tomb.  0  !  Faca  cannot,  will  not  die  ! 

Old  Sol  comes  there,  softly  on  his  tip-toes,  till  he  sees 
that  Faca  sees  him,  he  knows  it  by  the  smile  that  flits 
like  an  edge  of  sunshine  down  in  the  pale  depths  of  the 
lily,  and  then  he  advances  boldly  to  shew  her  he  has  no 
fear  —  not  he  —  he  expects  to  see  her  up  in  a  week. 
And  here  is  a  pretty  book  he  reads  from  ;  and  she  re- 
wards him  with  many  smiles,  but  they  are  too  angelic. 
26 


302  FACA. 

And  William  comes  to  her  chamber.  Sometimes  he 
only  stands  outside  by  her  window  and  looks  in,  if  it  he 
opened  for  him.  But  he  who  was  once  all  song  and 
legend,  and  ditties  about  every  thing  on  his  mind  or 
heart,  he  is  so  silent  now  ;  how  provoking  !  Faca  thinks. 
And  wheu  she  asks  him  for  a  song,  he  will  not  tune  up 
as  of  old  with  a  lively  air,  and  carol  away  about  nothing, 
but  there  is  something  now  in  every  thing  he  sings,  it 
has  a  meaning.  Why  will  they  all  talk  with  such  long 
faces,  and  about  such  serious  things  ? 

And  William  thinks,  and  Faca  knows  it,  for  Faca 
thinks  it  too,  often  in  the  night  when  she  sees  the  moon 
through  her  little  window-blind,  or  hears  the  sobbing  of 
the  sea.  —  William  thinks  what  a  dreadful  thing  it 
would  be  for  Faca  to  die  and  go  down,  down,  down  into 
the  sea,  where  the  fishes  would  feed  upon  her,  and  where 
Bardolph  and  George  are  ! 

"  0  !  these  thoughts  touch  William  to  the  quick  — 
he  resents  them  as  insults.  If  they  were  only  men, 
so  he  could  fight  them  away  !  but  no,  they  stand  by 
his  bed-side,  he  cannot  turn  his  back  upon  them, 
for  they  creep  over  into  the  bunk,  and  sleep  with  him, 
and  are  not  men,  but  ghosts  that  haunt  him  day  and 
night. 

But  Swallow  expresses  his  grief  in  honest  words.  He 
asks  Mr.  Trainor  if  he  may  go  into  Faca's  state-room 
sometimes,  when  she  is  there,  and  if  he  mav  not  read 


THE      ALGEL      WAITS.  303 

a  tract  to  them.  He  hopes  Faca  may  not  die,  but  in- 
quires concerning  her  soul. 

And  the  major  fidgets  about  with  his  cane.  He  paces 
the  quarter-deck,  and  hobbles  down  into  the  cabin, 
watches  at  Faca's  door,  inquires  a  hundred  times  a  day 
of  the  surgeon  "  how  that  beautiful  young  girl  is?" 
watches  and  follows  Mrs.  Trainor  out  and  into  the  cabin, 
relieves  the  old  sergeant  from  ajl  duty,  and  sits  up 
all  night  long  to  svp.  if  he  cannot  do  something  for 
somebody. 

Captain  Handsallaround  orders  three  fresh  chicken- 
broths  a  day  —  which  are  never  tasted  by  the  fair 
patient,  except  with  pretence  to  praise. 

And  Snowball  himself  forgets  Fulton  Market,  and 
sings  Fra  Diavolo  no  more. 

A  fair  white  angel  with  wings  that  shone,  even  in  the 
shadow  they  cast,  hovered  over  Faca's  couch  waiting  to 
carry  her  spirit  hence ;  for  Faca  prayed,  and  said  at 
last  she  was  ready  to  go. 

The  hair  is  white  now  on  the  head  of  stricken  Con- 
stanza.  Yet,  like  a  cloud  over  the  desert  camp,  she 
hovers  over  her  charge  by  day.  And  by  night  those 
too  sorrowful  solemn  lustrous  eyes  of  fire  ! 

Not  a  murmur  escaps  those  lips,  that  portal  an  un- 
quenchable light.  Those  features  arc  rigid  as  stone  on 
which  the  cold  moonbeams  fall.  Yet  how  soft  her  voice  ! 
how  gently  her  hand  touches  the  sick  child's  brow. 


304  FACA. 

Who  is  the  pure  spirit  hovering  near,  with  wings  fair 
as  the  white  doves  of  Astracan  ?  Constanza  knows. 

Not  till  now  had  the  faithful  nurse  revealed  to  Faca 
the  story  of  her  proud  unhappy  parentage,  and  told  her 
of  FRANCISCA,  the  beautiful,  the  beloved  ;  of  her  father, 
the  noble  and  brave  —  of  the  good  Don  Manuel  —  of 
her  Jorge,  the  generous  and  impetuous  —  of  his  foster- 
brother  Adolfo,  her  son,  her  own  tall  beautiful  boy  — 
she  never  spoke  of  them  all  as  they  were  at  the  last, 
but  as  they  seemed  years,  years  ago  on  the  sweet-scented 
plantation  in  Cuba. 


CHAPTER    LX. 

THE    ANGEL    FLIES    AWAY. 

And  thou,  too,  Tvhosoe  'r  thou  art, 
That  readest  this  brief  psalm, 
As  one  by  one  thy  hopes  depart, 
Be  resolute  and  calm. 

LONGFELLOW. 

THAT  high-spirited,  impetuous  girl,  roused  lately  into 
the  heroic  woman,  is  strangely  subdued.  Religion  has 
effected  a  lodgement  upon  the  crest  of  her  proud  earth- 
works, and  erected  there  the  banner  of  heaven.  Few- 
women,  when  young  and  fair,  know  religion  in  its  power, 
and  bow  with  supreme  submission  to  its  wonderful 
demands.  Prayers,  entreaties,  tears,  alms,  and  thanks- 
givings form  but  the  waves  on  the  surface  of  that  sea ; 
far  down  below  lies  the  mighty  region,  calm  but  omni- 
potent in  its  clear  depths  ;  and  deep,  deep  in  trouble 
must  the  soul  descend  ere  it  reaches  the  hidden  realm  ; 
for  not  by  searching  with  the  eye  can  one  find  out  the 
Almighty  to  perfection. 

Faca  is  not  only  willing  to  live,  but  she  is  willing  to 
die  —  to  accept  life  with  its  trials,  or  death  with  its 
terrors.  The  pride  of  her  vouth  and  beauty,  the  supe- 


306  F  A  C  A  . 

riority  of  her  intelligence,  the  waywardness  of  her  bright 
falcon  spirit  ;  all  that  had  buoyed  her  up  to  a  dazzling 
elevation  above  the  rank  and  caste  to  which  she  belong- 
ed, gave  way  before  religion,  and  she  shone  with  its 
feminine  grace  and  splendor. 

It  was  with  increasing  fear  and  anxiety  that  Mrs. 
Trainor  beheld  this  angelic  force,  before  which-  her 
daughter  was  being  borne  away.  There  are  certain 
signs  indicative  of  departure  from  this  world,  that 
women  are  quick  to  detect.  They  show  themselves  in 
the  precocious  intellect  of  children  "  too  good  to  live," 
and  play  in  a  halo  of  pale  light  around  the  faces  of 
men  "  too  perfect  for  earth."  It  is  certainly  a  "  bad 
sign  "  in  those  we  love  to  see  them  thus. 

0  companion  of  my  bosom  !  sharer  of  my  daily  cares, 
my  daily  joys,  be  of  the  earth  earthy  yet  awhile  !  0 
child  of  my  love  !  be  thou  a  true  son  of  Adam  the  fal- 
len !  Heaven  is  a  long  way  off  to  me,  loved  ones  ;  tarry 
a  wh'ile  for  me  —  even  in  sin  ! 

This  is  the  natural  language  of  the  heart  It  was 
with  a  feeling  of  like  wistfulness  and  apprehension  that 
Faca's  foster-parents  beheld  their  daughter  lapsing  into 
an  angel.  Their  grief  grew  upon  them  till  it  clothed 
them  with  it  sown  light,  a  shining  raiment.  And  they 
too  bowed  before  the  will  of  God ;  bowed  in  all  their 
grief,  their  self-conquest,  their  reconciliation  to  sorrow. 

The  officers  stood  about  them,  or  moved  before  them, 


T  11  E  '  A  X  «  E  L      V  L  I  E  S      A  W  A  Y  .  oU7 

f 

or  performed  kind  offices,  awed  as  they  were  into  the 
equality  of  grief,  bent  before  suffering  with  the  humi- 
lity of  suffering. 

The  sorrow  of  Old  Sol  was  not  least  touching  of  all.  — 
The  veteran  became  a  child.  Life  was  now  for  the  first 
time  in  twenty  years  a  thing  of  moment.  This  wild 
surge  drove  him  back  to  the  green  margin  of  youth. 
And  the  old  soldier  prayed  vehemently  for  Faca's  life. 
His  face  was  suffused  with  the  warm  tears  of  his  rcin- 
vigorated  heart.  Awkwardly  he  went  about,  falling  in 
every  body's  way,  a  broken-hearted  boy.  The  grief  that 
turns  the  hair  grey  makes  the  heart  green,  vivifies  its 
dry  dead  branches ;  alive  with  the  soft  emotions  of  a 
leafy  spring,  the  young  verdure  of  sweet  virtues  trem- 
bles in  the  dawn  of  immortality. 

Old  Sol  suffered  and  bowed  his  head. 

We  may  not  attempt  to  describe  the  afflictions  of  Wil- 
liam Marshal's  soul.  But  his  weepings  were  not  like 
the  others'  —  young  men  with  the  young  giant  within 
them,  God  does  not  prostrate  BO  complely  as  he  doth  the 
elders.  But  in  the  solemn  light  of  Faca's  face  he  swore 
that  his  one  ruling  vice  should  no  longer  have  dominion 
over  him  —  and  for  the  two  score  years  of  after  life  he 
will  keep  his  vow,  for  it  is  registered  and  sealed  above. 
Then,  when  the  Almighty  had  turned  the  hearts  of 
these  his  simple  children  towards  himself,  he  took  pity 
on  their  grief.  The  dread  crisis  passed  with  its  long 


303  F  A  C  A . 

t 

agonizing  night  of  terrors ;  the  hope,  the  fear,  the 
doubt,  the  trembling  expectancy,  the  hushed  breath, 
the  faint  lost  pulse,  the  loud  ticks  of  the  watch  falling 
like  hammers  upon  the  sounding  silence  ;  the  coming 
breath,  the  creeping  warmth,  the  softening  skin,  the 
returning  eye,  the  new  life,  the  joy,  thanksgivings,  con- 
gratulations—  fearful  even  yet  of  full  utterance  —  all 
passed.  Morn  came,  and  the  waiting  angel  flew  away 
with  the  pale  sickly  shadow  of  her  damp  cold  wing. 


CHAPTER     LXI. 

THE    COAS-T. 

THERE  is  a  current  commonly  along  the  coast  of  Texas ; 
and,  setting  in  to  the  southward  now,  it  had  carried  the 
Aldebaran  below  the  point  she  wished  to  make,  viz : 
Aranzas  Inlet.  But  as  she  approached  the  coast  by 
night,  she  hove  to,  and  lay  by  till  morning,  when  a 
favorable  breeze  brought  her  by  seven  o'clock  opposite 
the  bar.  According  to  dead  reckoning  the  ship  should 
have  been  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  inland  —  but 
dead  reckoning  is  not  always  dead  certainty,  as  doubt- 
less we  have  all  experienced,  who  never  went  to  sea. 

"  There  is  the  Bar,  with  the  green  and  white  breakers 
dashing  over  it,"  said  Major  June. 

"  Cristopher  !  sir  !  I  remember,  as  it  were  yesterday, 
the  emotions  of  us  all  in  General  Taylor's  army,  as  we 
saw  the  land  likely  to  become,  as  it  did,  the  starting 
point  to  fame  for  some,  and  to  the  grave  for  others  of 
our  brave  fellows.  There  is  St.  Joseph's  Island,  ou 
which  we  first  encamped,  and  a  more  forsaken-looking 
place,  a  more  desolate,  dreary,  sandy  shore,  was  never 
known.  However  the  first  live  object  we  saw  was  a  deer, 


310 


and  then  we  found  some  turtle.  You  see  now  a  few 
cattle  grazing  on  the  scanty  grass,  and  there  is  a  little 
shrublbcry,  and  on  the  inner  side  a  few  wreckers'  houses. 

Every  face  was  turned  towards  the  shore.  A  feeling 
of  great  satisfaction  was  apparent,  mingled  with  a  shade 
of  doubt  concerning  the  sort  of  life  likely  to  he  encoun- 
tered in  Texas.  In  the  minds  of  many  young  soldiers, 
the  vista  stretching  across  those  sand  hills  was  filled 
with  wild  sports,  moonlight  scouting  expeditions,  game, 
and  Cumanches.  Before  others  arose  the  fatigue  of  sol- 
dier life,  the  diseases  of  a  tropical  clime,  the  absence 
from  home  comforts  and  civilized  refinements. 

But  as  white  wing  after  white  wing  of  the  little  light- 
ing vessels  was  raised  and  became  visible  beyong  St. 
Joseph's  Island,  on  their  way  out  to  the  ship,  the  busy 
din  of  preparation  to  disembark  began  to  be  heard  on 
all  sides. 

A  steamship  lighter  was  expected  to  be  in  readiness, 
but  no  such  appeared,  or  other  sign  of  her  presence. 
The  truth  is,  our  venerable  Uncle  Sam  is  so  poor,  that 
he  can  afford  but  one  steamer  for  such  purposes  on  the 
whole  coast,  from  the  Florida  Capes  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  this  vessel  cannot  rationally  be  expected  to  divide 
herself  and  be  in  two  places  at  once. 

Fortunately  for  Major  June's  command,  there  was  no 
angry  wind  or  raging  sea  to  prevent  the  little  smacks 
that  made  their  appearance  in  Aranzas  Inlet,  from 


THE      COAST.  311 

coming  to  the  ship,  anchored  a  league  from  the  bar ; 
and  out  they  came,  each  one  intent  on  a  "  government 
job." 

The  first  one  hailed  was  a  sloop.  The  sloop  was 
steered  by  a  piratical  looking  chief,  who  lay  stretched 
at  full  length  upon  the  deck,  with  his  arm  dangling 
carelessly  over  the  rudder,  as  if  his  clipper  steered  her- 
self. Before  him  lay  spread  out  temptingly  two  im- 
mense turtles,  nicely  dressed,  and  a  few  quarters  of  fresh 
beef.  He  was  evidently  ready,  first  to  feed  the  soldiers 
and  then  help  them  ashore,  the  former  at  no  little  ex- 
pense. He  drew  along-side  in  the  same  non-dial  ant 
manner  as  he  had  tumbled  through  the  breakers  and 
sailed  out.  Captain  Handsallaround,  however,  thought 
best  to  question .  this  matter-of-course  character  before 
heaving  him  a  line. 

"  Are  you  chartered  by  the  quartermaster  ?  " 

"  No."" 

"  Then  haul  off.  " 

The  master  of  the  sloop  gave  one  careless  glance,  as 
he  turned  his  back  on  the  skipper,  by  throwing  one  leg 
over  the  other,  and  sheered  off,  coolly  answering 

"  Toute  la  meme  chose  I "     "  I  don't  care  a ! 

"  He  does  care  a  good  deal,"  said  Major  June,  laugh- 
ing, "  for  he  has  no  other  way  of  disposing  of  his  fresh 
provisions.  But  to  conceal  anxiety  is  the  great  aim  of 
Texan  character." 


312  FACA. 

The  next  vessel  that  succeeded  in  making  the  Alde- 
baran  was  a  neatly  painted  small  schooner  in  the  regu- 
lar employ  of  the  quartermaster.  She  anchored  a  few 
fathoms  astern  of  the  ship,  lowered  her  jolly-boat,  the 
master  jumped  in,  and  pulled  by  a  Mexican,  came  along- 
side. The  ladder  was  let  down  and  he  appeared  on  the 
deck  of  the  Aldebaran.  The  officers  gathered  eagerly 
around  him,  anxious  for  news  from  the  States  ;  but  the 
coast-wise  Texans  are  as  indifferent  about  news  as  they 
seem  to  be  about  every  thing  else  —  railroads  and  tele- 
graphs included  —  further  inland.  He  brought  the 
necessary  directions  for  disembarking,  however,  and  the 
work  speedily  went  on. 

It  took  six  of  the  lighters.  Two  of  these  were  clean 
and  tolerably  comfortable :  the  others  —  less  said  about 
them  the  better,  for  Uncle's  poor !  Our  fair  inva- 
lid, Faca,  was  let  down  gently  by  means  of  ropes  and 
blankets  into  one  of  the  former,  and  its  little  cabin  was 
given  up  to  her  and  her  foster-father's  family. 

The  men  and  women  descended  the  steep  deep  sides 
of  the  ship  by  means  of  the  ladders,  amidst  a  shower  of 
knapsacks,  camp  kettles,  bedding,  mess  chests,  mirrors, 
canteens,  carpet  bags,  loose  gowns,  overcoats,  dress  caps, 
night  caps,  epaulettes,  sabres,  pet  dogs,  parrots,  young 
infants,  and  muskets  ;  all  tossed  into  the  lighters  hur- 
riedly and  with  storm-like  confusion,  as  the  wind  and 
sea  arose  in  the  afternoon,  and  threatened  a  "  blow," 


THE      COAST.  313 

which  might  send  the  ship  howling  from  the  coast,  half 
disemboweled. 

Each  little  vessel,  loaded  down  with  food  for  powder, 
and  alive  with  noise  —  officers  and  sergent's  orders, 
sailors'  rattling  work,  and  those  sounds  for  which 
"  silence  "  has  no  "  poultice,"  i.  e.,  baby  cries,  —  swung 
off  from  the  moorings,  and  darted  away  for  the  huge 
and  ugly  looking  breakers  over  the  bar,  with  three  cheers 
all  around. 

Then  such  tossing  of  the  laboring  bark,  such  clinging 
on  to  her  rolling  sides  and  wet  decks,  such  deluges  of 
spray  in  people's  necks  and  faces,  such  fearful  lurches, 
such  neck-or-nothing,  hit-or-miss  recklessness,  missing 
by  a  hair's  breadth  the  shoal  that  would  have  wrecked 
them ;  and  finally,  protected  by  the  good  Power  that 
leads  and  rules  in  spite  of  ourselves,  such  joyful  emerg- 
ing from  this  sea  of  troubles  into  the  smooth  water  of 
the  Inlet ;  never  before  was  known. 

Each  officer  went  with  a  lighter,  and  previous  to  his 
dropping  down  into  his  pandemonium,  took  leave  of 
Captain  Handsallaround  and  the  honest  Junks.  The 
sociable  skipper  insisted  upon  a  stirup  glass  with  each 
one,  and  in  bidding  them  good  by,  upon  their  accepting 
some  small  token  of  his  regard  :  a  box  of  wine,  a  book 
—  of  which  he  had  a  store  in  his  state-room  or — some 
article  found  by  him  in  foreign  lands,  all  must  carry 
away  something  to  remember  the  skipper  by. 
27 


314  F  A  C  A . 

Junks  had  little  to  say.  "  That  ere  gall,"  and  get- 
ting back  to  her  was  uppermost  in  his  thoughts,  and  all 
the  gentlemen  wished  him  a  speedy  return  and  a  long 
honeymoon  on  shore. 

The  two  ships'  officers  stood  watching  the  lighters  off, 
waving  their  hats  ;  and  as  the  last,  hearing  Major  June 
on  hoard,  plunged  away,  the  sailors,  headed  by  Old 
Jack,  gathered  upon  the  forecastle,  and  gave  three  brave 
hearty  cheers  ;  the  band  played  — 

"  The  bold  soldier  boy." 

and  the  next  sound  heard  was  the  heave-ho  !  of  the 
anchor,  and  the  stout  ship  Aldebaran  was  homeward 
bound. 


CHAPTEK    LXII. 

THE    LAGOON. 

THE  shallop  which  conveyed  Faca  Trainor  ashore  was 
commanded  by  one  of  those  characters  so  numerous  in 
Texas,  who  have  had  their  day.  He  was  a  tall  spare 
man,  with  sharp  but  regular  features,  and  so  dark  with- 
al, that  he  was  easily  mistaken  at  first  sight  for  a  ran- 
chero  —  especially  as  his  crew,  with  a  single  exception, 
were  Mexicans.  The  "  exception,"  we  may  as  well  say 
at  once,  was  mate  of  the  schooner  Dolly,  and  an  impor- 
tant fellow  he  was ;  who  pretended  to  look  upon  Cap- 
tain Redcliffe  with  a  sort  of  respectful  pity,  pointing 
over  his  left  shoulder  when  he  spoke  of  him,  as  the  "  Old 
Man." 

As  we  have  said,  Captain  Redcliffe  had  had  his  day. 
And  after  getting  the  Dolly  safely  over  the  Bar  into 
Aranzas  Inlet,  being  forced  by  the  approach  of  night 
to  drop  anchor  in  one  of  the  little  Lagoons  which  con- 
nect the  Inlet  with  Corpus  Christ!  Bay,  he  invited  our 
friend  Old  Sol  to  a  dish  of  frejoks,  cooked  by  one  of 
the  Mexicans,  and  then  told  the  officer  his  history. 

In  early  life  Redcliffc  followed  the  sea  in  a  gentle- 


316  FACA. 

manly  way ;  i.  e.  he  took  a  voyage  for  his  health  before 
the  mast,  and  came  home,  and,  wonderful  to  relate, 
refrained  to  write  a  hook  —  on  the  tyranny  of  captains, 
mates,  and  stewards  ;  on  ropes-ends,  sailor's  wrongs, 
starvation,  salt  junk,  and  so  forth  and  so  on.  So  not 
making  a  fortune  that  way,  he  was  fain  to  go  to  sea  the 
next  time  for  a  living,  as  he  had  become  so  wild  and 
roving  that  his  wealthy  father  as  good  as  disowned  him, 
and  he  could  not  content  himself  with  regular  occupation 
on  land. 

While  he  was  yet  a  boy,  the  war  with  England  broke 
out,  and  "Free  Trade  and  Sailor's  Eights"  was  the 
cry.  He  shipped  from  Boston  on  board  a  privateer; 
scoured  the  English  Channel  at  a  time  when  no  English 
men-of-war  were  on  the  coast,  and  plundered  right  and 
left ;  made  a  cruise  to  the  Indies,  and  made  a  prize  off 
the  Island  of  Madagascar  —  a  British  Transport  bound 
for  Calcutta  loaded  with  troops  and  arms  —  launched 
into  the  China  seas,  and  was  blockaded  three  months 
between  Macao  and  Canton  by  a  British  fleet :  ran  the 
"blockade  by  night,  and  got  home  safe  to  the  United 
States,  all  hands  rich  as  nabobs.  After  the  war  —  set- 
tled in  the  West  on  a  farm  :  raised  the  first  three  thou- 
sand bushels  of  wheat  ever  reaped  from  one  field  in  the 

fertile  State  of  Illinois.     Knew  Squire  M ,  and 

Judge  E ,  and  Governor  Q ,  and  old  Coon 

R ,  as  he  was  called,  all  of  whom  Old  Sol  remenv 


THE      LAGOON.  317 

bercd  in  his  boyhood ;  —  had  a  county  named  after 
him  —  was  president  of  the  State  Senate  during  the 

celebrated  contest  for  the  election  of  B ,  to  the 

United  States  Senate ;  Eedcliffe  electing  him  by  his 
casting  vote  —  lost  his  health  and  migrated  to  Texas, 
previously  to  the  Ecvolution  :  was  a  distinguished  actor 
therein,  and  intimately  associated  with  Austin,  Houston, 
and  Lamar  —  lost  his  houses  and  Stock  on  the  Brazas 
Eiver  by  the  Invasion  of  Santa  Anna,  in  whose  capture, 
after  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto,  he  had  a  hand ;  but, 
mercifully  forgiving  him,  helped  to  save  him  from  the 
Bangers  clamoring  for  his  death ;  and  finally,  losing 
his  health  again,  and  broken  in  circumstances,  he  was 
obliged  to  move  to  the  sea-shore,  and  was  now  settled  at 
Corpus  Christi  with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  one  of  whom 
kept  a  horse  ranche  up  the  Nueces,  and  the  other  owned 
and  sailed  the  shallop  Dolly,  but  was  absent  at  the  Cat- 
tle ranche  now  with  his  brother,  and  that  was  the  way 
he  himself  happened  to  be  here,  and  Old  Sol  to  hear 
his  story. 

Then  the  two  wrapped  themselves  in  their  cloaks  and 
stretched  out  upon  the  little  quarter-deck.  But  ere  they 
fell  asleep,  a  soft  voice  and  a  guitar  were  heard  at  the 
cabin  door  below  them. 

The  little  and  great  stars  winked  down  mischievously 
at  Old  Sol,  as  he  lay  all  night  wide  staring  awake, 
thinking  of  Faca  and  the  future. 


318 


FACA. 


He  was  far  from  ignorant  of  the  devotion  of  the  gal- 
lant corporal.  But  the  idea  of  rivalship  with  a  com- 
mon soldier  was  too  undignified  to  think  of,  yet  the 
thought  would  come. 

Nebulus  would  have  rid  himself  of  "the  fellow"  by 
managing  his  transfer  to  another  regiment. 

Swallow  in  his  self-abnegation  would  have  quit  the 
field  —  a  painfully  good  fellow  was  Swallow. 

But  Old  Sol  was  capable  of  neither  the  unfairness  of 
the  one,  nor  the  self-denial  of  the  other.  He  resolved 
to  place  himself  side  by  side  with  the  corporal,  and  have 
a  fair  fight  for  it ;  i.  e.  leave  it  to  the  free  choice  of  the 
damsel ;  for,  said  he  to  himself  — 

"  My  rank  balances  his  youth." 

This  wise  resolution  gave  his  mind  repose,  and  warmly 
thanking  heaven  for  its  late  mercies,  and  again  commit- 
ting himself  to  its  protecting  care,  Old  Sol,  towards 
morning  was  able  successfully  to  court  sleep. 

O  sleep  !  nurse  of  the  innocent,  guardian  of  the  good 
and  healthful  —  angel  or  shrew,  according  as  thou  art 
present  or  afar  off. 


CHAPTER    LXIII. 

THE    CAMP. 

BY  noon  the  next  day  the  whole  of  Major  June?s  com- 
mand was  encamped  near  Corpus  Christi,  on  the  ground 
occupied,  as  the  major  stated,  by  the  gallant  Worth — 
the  Murat  of  our  army  in  the  Mexican  war. 

A  tent  was  pitched  for  Faca  and  her  grandmother. 
Faca  was  now  able  to  sit  up,  and  the  sea-breeze  over  the 
high  ground,  the  smell  of  the  green  grass,  and  the  fresh 
diet,  soon  invigorated  her. 

But  a  few  days,  and  the  present  array  of  friends* 
officers  and  soldiers  who  loved  her,  and  who  took  every 
method  possible  to  soothe  the  rigor  of  her  low  condition, 
as  the  daughter  of  a  camp  woman,  must  break  up  into 
small  detachments.  And  she  with  one  of  these  must 
go  to  some  post  among  strangers, — possibly  among 
men,  some  at  least  of  whom,  long  exiled  from  the  sight 
of  so  much  beauty  as  hers,  would  feel  themselves  prive- 
leged  to  prey  upon  her. 

This  her  lot,  Old  Sol  looked  upon  with  as  much  aver- 
sion ar  did  Faca  herself,  and  his  trouble  was  the  greater, 
inasmuch  us  he  and  the  Trainors  were  not  destined  to 
the  same  garrison. 


320  FACA. 

One  day  the  officer  sent  for  the  soldier  to  come  to  his 
tent. 

"  Corporal,"  said  Old  Sol  to  William,  "  you  love  Faca 
Trainor  ?  " 

"  Sir !"  replied  the  latter,  no  little  confused,  and 
wounded  too,  by  the  bluntness  of  the  question. 

"  You  will  pardon  me,  my  dear  Marshal,  but  I  take 
great  interest  in  the  fortunes  of  this  young  lady — so 
much  so  that  I  do  not  hesitate  to  own  myself  equally 
with  you  a  suitor  for  her  hand." 

"  Doubtless  a  successful  one,"  replied  William,  with 
some  bitterness  in  his  tone,  "  your  rank — " 

"  My  rank  against  your  youth  and  handsome  looks, 
my  boy,"  said  Old  Sol,  struggling  to  be  easy  and  familiar. 

The  Corporal  was  silent. 

'"  We  will  be  frank  and  open  with  each  other,"  con- 
tinued Old  Sol.  "  I  trust  you  have  received  no  final 
answer  to  your  hopes  ?" 

"  None,  Sir ;  that  is,  I  have  not  quite  given  over." 
"  Quite"  sounded  like  a  note  of  despair. 

"  Nor  have  I  quite  given  up  the  ghost."  Old  Sol's 
"  quite"  was  little  better. 

"  And  so  let  us  come  to  terms  with  each  other.  Not 
to  prolong  our  agony,  we  will  go  straightway  to  her 
tent,  offer  ourselves,  and  the  one  who  is  rejected  shall 
forever  relinquish  further  proceedings  in  the  Court,  and 
separate  himself  from  her  society  at  once  and  ever  after." 


THE      CAMP.  321 

Marshal  revolved  the  matter  long  and  doubtfully. 
He  really  had  little  hope,  but  the  idea  of  separating 
himself  from  the  dear  society  of  his  old  playmate,  the 
lady-love  of  his  poetry  and  rythmic  adoration  —  and 
persecution  —  was  deeply  suggestive  of  lonely  days  and 
melancholy  nights. 

"You  forget,  sir,"  said  he,  "that  I  belong  to  her 
father's  company,  and  you  do  not ;  that  I  have  known 
her,  child  and  girl,  these  ten  years;  that  if  not  her  — 
her  —  companion  in  one  way,  I  can  be  in  another:  and 
that  when  the  command  breaks  up,  you  separate  from 
her  of  course." 

But  Old  Sol  was  rigorous  in  his  terms,  and  trembling 
between  hope  and  fear,  William  assented.  The  two 
proceeded  to  Faca's  tent. 

Love,  like  murder,  will  out;  arid  both  soldiers  and 
officers  suspected  something  of  moment  was  passing,  as 
they  saw  the  two  lovers  stalking  pale  and  solemnly 
towards  the  tent  which  covered  the  beauty.  It  had  been 
pitched  apart  equally  from  men's  and  officers'  lines  of 
tents,  but  not  far  from  Sergeant  Trainor's,  nor  from 
Major  Junc'jj,  which  was  on  the  extreme  right  of  the 
encampment. 

Knocking  at  the  tent-pole  which  held  up  the  front  of 
their  princess'  canopy,  the  two  suitors  were  bid  enter 
by  a  soft,  sweet  voice. 

Old  Sol,  who  had  talked  boldly  enough  to  the  Corporal 


322  F  A  C  A  . 

alone,  lost  his  courage  now  on  the  instant,  and  fidgetted 
and  stammered  awkwardly.  He  was  desirous  of  the 
absence  of  the  old  grand-dame,  but  knew  not  how  to 
accomplish  the  object.  Faca,  too,  was  embarrassed. 
But  William  frankly  told  the  good  old  lady — 

"Grandmother,  the  Lieutenant  and  myself  wish  to 
have  some  words  with  Faca ;  can  you  trust  her  with  us 
awhile?" 

"  Oh  yes,  my  son !  I  don't  fear  you'll  cut  her  in 
halves  and  eat  her  up !"  and  pinching  the  youth's  cheek 
gently  she  withdrew ;  and  the  cloud  walked  with  some 
difficulty  —  for  she  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  roll 
of  the  ship  —  to  the  Orderly  Sergeant's  tent ;  where 
she  excited  the  shrewd  suspicion  of  the  Trainors. 

The  Lieutenant  looked  for  the  Corporal  to  begin,  and 
the  Corporal  looked  for  the  Lieutenant.  Silence  was 
first  broken  by  Faca,  who  offered  the  Lieutenant  a  camp- 
stool  —  wrought  in  flowery  embroidery  by  her  own  fingers 
—  and  the  Corporal,  part  of  her  grandmother's  chest, 
as  she  said  — 

"  Pray  be  seated,  Gentlemen." 

It  must  be  confessed  there  was  an  old  trace  of  fun- 
loving  and  mischief-making  dimpling  about  the  corners 
of  the  roguiah  girl's  mouth. 

At  length  Old  Sol,  after  a  world  of  hemming  and 
hawing,  began  to  state  the  object  of  this  strange,  and 
to  any  other  young  lady,  frightful  visit.  But  Faca  was 


THE    CAMP.  323 

not  half  so  greatly  frightened  as  you  might  he,  my  dear 
madam. 

"We  have  come,  hoth  together,  Miss  Faca,  to — to 
—  offer  you  our  hands  and  hearts." 

"  One  poor  girl  cannot  make  two  desperate  men  happ 
at  once,"  she  replied,  with  a  sweet  little  smile. 

"  Let  each  plead  his  own  cause  !  "  cried  the  veteran . 
dropping  suddenly  on  his  knees,  according  to  the  manner 
of  the  most  interesting  courtships  in  books.  William 
remained  standing.  The  truth  is  neither  scarce  knew 
what  to  do  or  say.  But  William  was  by  far  the  more 
composed. 

"  Kneel,  you  young  dog  ! "  burst  out  Old  Sol.  "  Do 
you  think  I  wish  to  take  any  unfair  advantage  of  you  ?  " 

The  expression  of  Faca's  face  changed  now.  There 
was  nothing  of  fun  or  mockery  left. 

"  Kise,  sir,"  she  said  in  an  agitated  voice.  "  Spare 
me  any  further  exhibition  of  your  preference  for  so  un- 
worthy an  object." 

The  Lieutenant  rose,  and  stood  as  if  receiving  orders 
from  a  field  marshal —  orders,  of  which  to  lead  a  forlorn 
hope  against  Malakoff,  might  be  the  worst,  to  charge  a 
battery,  the  least. 

"  I  honor  you  both.  I — I  —  love  you  both.  But  I 
feel  myself  unequal  to  the  trials  which  union  with  either 
tf  you  would  bring  upon  me." 


324  F  A  C  A  . 

The  two  suitors  first  stared  at  eacli  other,  and  then 
at  their  lady-love. 

"  Then  you  will  have  neither  of  us  !  "  blurted  out  Old 
Sol. 

"  Oh  !  do  not  put  it  so  bluntly  !  But  leave  me  now,  I 
beg  of  you.  Nothing  can  alter  my  resolution.  If  I 
thought  it  in  my  humble  power  ever  to  make  either  of 
you  happy  at  my  own  expense,  I  would  cheerfully 
encounter  anything,  all  things,  to  do  it.  But  I  cannot, 
I  cannot ;  you  would  be  only  the  more  miserable  for 
me." 

"  Faca  ! "  implored  William. 

"William!  William!  Do  not  pain  me  with  that 
cruel  complaining  voice."  . 

"  I  know  you  arc  too  good,  too  gifted,  too  cultivated 
for  me ;  but  even  I  would  rejoice  to  see  you  marry  Mr. 
Soldan,  if  you  will  not  me  ;  that  is  —  " 

"  No  !  No  ! "  sobbed  Old  Sol.  "  Marry  the  boy ;  he 
is  nearer  your  age,  Miss  Faca.  Confound  my  stars ! 
what  have  I  done,  but  broken  forever  the  happiness  of 
this  young  couple  by  my  confounded  idiotic,  unnatural 
attempts  to  win  the  child  to  my  own  withered  old  arms  ! 
Marry  the  brave  youth,  girl !  don't  make  him  and  your- 
self miserable  for  life  on  my  account.  And  I  '11  see  to 
his  advancement;  we'll  all  see  to  it." 

"  I  thought,"  said  Faca,  "  that  I  might  keep  my  own 
little  plan  of  life  a  secret;  unimportant  as  it  must 


THE      CAMP.  325 

surely  be  to  all  beside  myself.  But  to  satisfy  you,  two 
friends,  who  I  know  both  love  me,  but  who  do  not  under- 
stand me,  I  will  tell  you  what  is  little  worth  hearing. 

"  Fearful  of  the  annoyance  of  officers'  wives,  as  well 
as  the  shame  it  would  bring  upon  my  proud  husband,  if 
I  married  above  my  rank ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
shrinking  from  the  vulgarities  and  the  temptations  and 
brutal  persecutions  to  which  the  life  of  a  camp-woman 
mignt  subject  me,  as  well  as  you,  William  —  for  you 
have  just  escaped  a  horrible  disgrace  and  death  —  I 
have  resolved  to  go  with  my  parents  to  Brownsville ; 
and  there  entering  the  society  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy, 
devote  my  whole  life  to  nursing  the  sick.  Not,"  added 
she  with  a  smile,  "  with  the  view  of  losing  more  quickly 
what  little  beauty  God  has  given  me,  but  to  do  what 
mite  of  good  I  may,  to  alleviate  pain  and  distress,  on 
the  bodies  of  men  —  especially  poor  soldiers  in  the  hos- 
pitals there  and  elsewhere."  Her  voice  died  away. 

"  Faca  ! "  again  exclaimed  William  aghast. 

"  Faca !  wild,  mad  girl  !  "  cried  Old  Sol 

She  gave  her  trembling  little  hand  to  William,  and 
her  head  fell  upon  his  shoulder. 

The  angel  heart  within  yielded  at  the  moment  when 
it  felt  stoutest  to  resist.  She  murmured  something 
about  "  Trusting  in  Heaven." 

"  Cristopher  and  Julius  Caesar  together  ! "  cried  a  voice 

outside,  "  is  everybody  deaf  in  here  ?  " 
28* 


326  r  A  c  A  . 

And  pushing  the  front  of  the  tent  apart,  Major  June 
broke  in  upon  this  sad  conference,  with  a  document  in 
his  hand. 

Intending  not  to  notice  the  paleness  of  one  of  the 
parties,  or  the  confusion  of  the  two  others,  he  asked 

"Is  there  one  William  Marshal,  Corporal,  in  this 
tent?" 

"  I  am  he,  sir." 

"  Then  you  are  a  lucky  dog  !  Here's  a  despatch  from 
Washington,  telegraphed  to  New  Orleans,  conveying 
news  of  your  appointment  to  the  rank  of  second  Lieu- 
tenant in  the  Second  Regiment  of  Cavalry,  and  ordering 
you  at  once  to  the  north  to  join. 

"As  if  /did  not  know  you  !  Did  you  think  Jdid'nt 
know  who  sang  the  ditties  like  a  troubadour,  and  fought 
like  a  lion,  aboard  the  ship  ?  and  did  you  think  I  did'nt 
see  you  and  this  sheepish  looking  old  subaltern,  march- 
ing like  two  ghosts  to  the  tent  of  your  sweetheart  ? 
Shake  hands,  sir.  I  would'nt  trust  the  good  news  to 
anybody  else,  but  brought  it  myself!" 

William  suffered  his  hand  to  be  shook  nearly  off  its 
wrist  by  the  hale  and  hearty  Major,  who  exclaimed 
repeatedly 

"  Cristopher ! "  the  Government  has  done  a  good 
thing  for  once,  rewarding  obscure  merit." 

Old  Sol  was  equally  cordial  in  his  congratulations. 

Of  course  when  Sergeant  Trainor  heard  such  cheery 


THE      CAMP.  327 

loud  voices,  he  hurried  into  his  daughter's  tent,  taking 
off  his  hat  to  the  officers,  followed  by  his  wife  and 
Constauza ;  and  in  a  short  time  there  was  a  shouting 
and  merry-making  all  over  the  camp. 

William's  heart  overflowed  with  joy.  But  he  could 
illy  conceal  his  impatience  till  night  came  on,  bringing 
its  quiet  and  order,  and  with  it,  an  interview  with  Faca 
Trainor. 

Faca's  congratulations  consisted  in  the  brightest  pair 
of  eyes  and  the  rosiest  pair  of  cheeks  she  had  shown  for 
a  two-month,  rather  than  in  words. 

"  We  rise  from  the  ranks  together,  and  you  will  be  — 
mine,  beloved  ! "  whispered  William. 

"  All  thine  !  "  murmured  Faca. 

And  there  remains  no  doubt  to  this  day  that  the  two 
lovers  were  the  happiest  pair  the  moon  and  all  the  bright 
stars  ever  shone  upon,  or  the  world  ever  saw. 

At  all  events  Major  June  pricked  up  his  ears  several 
times  that  still  evening,  as  he  sat  in  his  tent  writing  a 
long"  letter  to  the  mess,  giving  an  account  of  the  whole 
affair,  and  swore  by  Cristopher  "  he  heard  percussion 
caps  snapping  in  the  vicinity  ! " 

But  the  major  was  waggish  at  times. 

Old  Sol  did  not  go  to  bed  so  very  unhappy  either. 
The  veteran  consoled  himself  with  the  good  he  had  done, 
for  it  was  he  that  had  been  the  instrument  in  procuring 
William's  commission.  Besides,  not  the  worst  of  all  is 


328  FACA. 

yet  to  come  —  the  same  mail  had  brought  him  the  sol- 
dier's elixir  of  life,  promotion,  and  he  was  a  captain  at 
last ;  yes,  a  captain  at  last. 

"  Christopher  ! "  cried  the  rosy  major,  "  the  old  flower 
looks  deuced  springish  —  a  dozen  years  younger  at 
least!" 

A  then  he  sighed  to  think  how  long  it  must  he  ere 
all  the  long  list  of  veterans  ahead  of  himself  should 
moulder  away,  and  that  he  should  probahly  pass  into 
his  grave  before  a  colonelcy  came  to  him. 

'  Tis  sad  to  think  how  the  bright  aims  of  life  dwindle 
and  fade  away  as  we  advance  tomb-ward.  Yet  another 
world  shall  strike  the  good  old  balance  held  aloft. 
There,  he  who  looks  may  find,  and  he  who  knocks  may 
enter  in,  and  the  humble  shall  be  lifted  up. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

MARS     AND     VENUS. 

THE  next  morning  the  camp  was  early  in  commotion. 
The  sun  rejoiced  with  unusual  splendor  in  his  golden 
array ;  the  dew  put  on  her  silveriest  vestments,  the  flow- 
ers breathed  their  sweetest  to  the  sighing  breeze. 

Artillery,  infantry,  riflemen,  and  dragoons  were  brush- 
ing up  their  guns,  sabres,  and  uniforms,  for  some  galla 
affair. 

A  new  white  tent  was  pitched  on  the  officers  line ;  a 
new  plate,  i.  e.  a  tin  plate  —  camp  fashion,  was  set  at 
the  officers  mess  ;  and  a  tall  proud-bearing  young  cava- 
lier sat  in  the  tent  afforcsaid,  and  modestly  took  seat 
at  the  mess-table,  when  Snowball,  who  had  "  taken  a 
shine  "  to  Massa  Major  June,  and  sworn  to  follow  him 
the  world  over,  announced  breakfast  to  the  young  cava- 
lier, calling  him  "Lieutenant  Marshal"  and  touching 
his  hat. 

Then,  about  nine  o'clock,  a  benevolent,  mild-faced 
man  in  episcopal  robes  appeared,  coming  out  from  Cor- 
pus Christi  in  a  mule  carriage.  It  was  tho  chaplain,  of 
course.  And  at  his  appearance  Sergeant  Trainor  drew 


330  FACA. 

out  his  company  and  marched  it  up,  opposite  the  new- 
white  tent. 

Then  the  drums  and  fifes  sounded,  and  all  the  troops 
paraded,  and  arrayed  themselves  in  a  hollow  square, 
forming  a  military  chapel  around  the  white  tent.  ,And 
on  the  walls  of  that  chapel  bright  brave  faces  shone,  and 
arms  were  hung,  and  glistened  in  the  uncloistered  light, 
and  pennons  and  ensigns  fluttered  gaily. 

Then,  headed  by  the  clergyman,  a  procession  appeared. 
Here  came  Mrs.  Trainor,  with  the  gallant  Major  June  ; 
and  then  came  Faca  leaning  on  William's  arm  —  he  in 
his  sword  and  sash,  epauletts  and  plume  —  she  in  her 
white  veil.  Then  followed  Captain  Soldan  and  the 
other  officers,  two  and  two. 

One  side  of  the  square  opened  out  right  and  left,  as 
the  procession  drew  near,  the  music,  band,  drums, 
bugles,  fifes  and  all  played  a  salute,  the  colors  inclined 
their  heads  gracefully  forward,  and  th  happy  group 
were  enclosed  by  those  walls  of  brave  hearts. 

And  there,  at  the  head  of  his  old  company,  William 
Marshal  was  married. 

A  little  difficulty  had  been  raised  about  giving  away 
the  bride,  all  insisting  that  it  was  the  part  of  Sergeant 
Trainor,  the  foster-father.  But  the  obstinate  veteran 
swore  by  the  revered  name  of  his  old  commander,  Gene- 
ral Jackson  !  that  his  placo  was  on  the  right  of  the 
company  he  had  served  in  since  the  battle  of  New  Or- 


M  A  R  S      A  N  1)      V  E  X  U  S  331 

leans,  and  in  which  William  had  been  brought  up  from 
a  drummer  boy.  So  it  was  settled  that  Major  June 
should  give  her  away,  and  right  beamingly  he  did  it 
too. 

Then  there  was  a  feu-de-joie  from  the  throats  of  a  brass 
battery,  when  the  ceremony  was  over ;  and  a  festival 
was  given  by  the  officers'  mess,  at  which  the  major  pre- 
sided, and  where  Captain  Soldan  often  turned  pale,  and 
Lieutenant  Marshal  often  blushed  ;  and  at  night  there 
were  fire  works  and  music,  and  dancing  on  the  green 
turf;  and  the  ladies  of  the  officers  stationed  at  Corpus 
Christi,  who  were  present  from  noon  till  midnight,  went 
home  declaring  there  never  was  such  a  gay  time  before, 
never  so  pretty  a  bride,  or  dashing  a  bride-groom,  or 
romantic  a  wedding  altogether. 


CHAPTEE    LXV. 

THE    LOST    ARE    FOUND. 

WE  are  glad  to  wind  up  our  story  with  a  wedding, 
notwithstanding  it  grows  fashionable  to  decry  that  sort 
of  nonsense  in  a  book. 

We  shall  not  detain  the  gentle  reader  to  relate  how 
well  William  and  Faca  bore  their  honors,  nor  how  they 
were  admired  every  where  they  went  on  their  way  to  the 
North  in  a  great  steamer  from  New  Orleans  to  New 
York ;  how  a  Mississippi  colonel  suspended  his  euchre 
and  politics  in  the  forward  cabin  to  gaze  upon  the  lovely 
Faca  in  the  after  cabin,  and  eagerly  sought  introduction 
and  her  hand  for  a  dance  one  night,  etc.,  etc.  ;  nor  yet 
how  on  reaching  their  new  regiment  their  fame  had 
gone  before  them,  and  they  were  received  cordially  by 
the  major's  stately  wife,  and  the  Lieutenant  Colonel's 
fair  daughters,  and  how  all  the  others  were  glad  to  do 
likewise. 

But  the  steamer  in  which  they  went  touched  at  the 
Havana.  The  duenna  stood  gazing  with  silent  emotion 
at  the  familiar  scene,  leaning  upon  Marshal's  arm. 
And  Faca  and  William,  who  knew  the  storv  now,  showed 


THE      LOST      ARE      FOUND.  333 

their  sympathy  with  the  duenna's  agitation  in  a  world 
of  little  gentle  ways. 

In  the  barge  which  came  out  before  the  steamer  was 
suffered  to  send  ashore,  sat  a  very  old  white-headed  man, 
with  keen  black  eyes,  but  a  sorrowful  visage.  He  was 
an  object  of  interest  to  all.  Constanza  started,  and 
grasped  William's  arm  more  tightly  as  she  beheld  the 
venerable  ancient.  He  came  on  board.  He  seemed  to 
hold  a  petty  clerkship  in  the  Custom  House,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  some  duty  or  other.  He  noticed  no  one.  He 
went  to  the  captain's  room,  did  the  business  of  his  office, 
and  came  out. 

The  duenna  began  to  tremble  violently.  The  young 
soldier  questioned  Constanza,  who  pointed  out  the  old 
man  to  him  and  to  Faca,  whispering  in  a  mild,  melan- 
choly tone  — 

"El  Senor Don  Manuel "  and  some  other 

words  in  Spanish. 

William  hurried  to  accost  the  venerable  man  ere  he 
descended  to  his  boat  again,  and  brought  him  to  the 
state-room,  whither  Faca  meanwhile  conducted  the  du- 
enna. On  the  way  he  disclosed  to  him  who  the  person 
was  that  desired  to  see  him. 

Don  Manuel  uttered  some  hasty  prayer  of  thankful 
joy,  and  tottered  forward.  The  two  old  friends  fell 
upon  each  others  necks  and  wept.  Such  a  meeting  had 
been  expected  only  in  heaven,  and  it  was  a  heaven  on 


334  F  A  C  A  . 

earth.  Believe  me,  my  friends,  it  was  a  sacred  meeting. 
Then  the  old  man  embraced  Faca,  and  called  her 
"  Francisca  !  "  gazed  long  upon  her  features  and  kissed 
her  often,  and  with  silent  tears.  William,  too,  he  greeted 
with  many  blessings  — 0  how  sweet  the  blessings  of  the 


Then  Don  Manuel  told  his  story,  as  he  held  Faca's 
hand  in  one  of  his  own,  and  Constanza's  in  the  other. 
His  country  had  taken  pity,  and  forgiven  him,  and  put 
him  in  a  little  berth  in  the  Custom  House,  with  a  com- 
petence for  his  age,  and  a  little  house  and  garden  in  the 
suburbs  of  his  dear  old  Havana. 

But  the  steamer  was  impatient  to  be  off.  Of  course 
the  two  old  friends  thus  providentially  restored  to  each 
other  werere  not  to  be  separated.  And  consigning  Faca 
anew  to  the  charge  of  her  husband,  the  old  duenna, 
after  many  tears,  and  many  blessings  between  all  the 
beloved  ones,  went  ashore  with  a  gentle  light  smile  on 
her  grave  features,  and  her  feeble  hand  locked  in  the 
feeble  hand  of  Don  Manuel 


FINIS. 

AND  THE  FLOODS  CLAPPED  THEIR  HANDS. 

BETWEEN  all  Nature's  works  what  intercourse  !  What 
ties  magnetic  link  them  each  to  each  in  terms  of  amity 
and  mutual  knowledge,  and  all  to  One  sublime  interior 
Thought,  tli at  animates  the  world  with  motion  !  "With 
conversation  Land  and  Water  teem,  and  every  heavenly 
height  is  redolent :  the'  springs  gush  forth  with  speaking, 
and  rivers  run  along  the  hills  uttering  a  song  !  Fast 
by  the  water-courses  stand  the  trees  that  now,  embrace 
the  midnight  hurricane  ;  then,  list  the  warbling  of  the 
morning  birds. 

From  this  tall  cliff  come  view  the  queen-like  Sea  in 
courtly  intercourse  with  Earth  and  Heaven :  mighty 
co-monarchs  in  alliance  triple ;  ancient  triumvirs  of  the 
Universe  !  leagued  in  co-ordinate  sublimity  ! 

The  Heavens  upon  the  heaving  Main  gaze  down, 
showering  upon  her  waves  resplendent  beauties;  the 
Main  reflects  each  golden  orb  that  rolls  its  crimson  track 
across  yon  azure  plain.  Her  genial  vapors  greet  the 
bridegroom  Sun  ;  her  thousand  censers,  decked  with 
jewelry,  pay  smoking  incciido  to  the  smiling  skies — that, 
round  the  earthly  orbit  traveling,  array  the  Hymlahs 


,336  F  A  C  A  . 

with  celestial  purple,  and  wrap  a  glittering  drapery 
round  the  sphere. 

As  courtly  monarchs  met  with  retinues  on  Field  of 
Cloth  of  Gold  in  sunny  France ;  or  as  two  poets  walk 
beneath  the  yew,  their  classic  lore  commingling  ;  so  on 
the  bosom  of  the  whispering  flood  a  myriad  host  assem- 
ble —  sweet  lights,  and  elfin  shadows  of  the  daisy  hills, 
and  meads  and  meadows  green  —  blending  their  tints 
of  summer  gladness  o'er  the  gleaming  tide. 

But  deeper  Night  beholds  the  Festival.  The  wood- 
nymph  and  the  mermaid  then  appear.  Then  tiny-footed 
fairies  trip  the  wave,  lighted  by  glow-worms  and  the 
phosphorous  tribes  that  gild  the  course  of  whalemen 
round  the  capes.  The  glen's  dark  spirits,  and  the  thun- 
der troop  that  revel  on  the  snow-peaks  with  the  storm, 
and  the  wild  dryads  of  the  greenwood  come,  to  greet  fair 
Undine  on  the  pearly  shore  ;  while,  piping  from  their 
coral  orchestras,  ;the  sea  shells  sing  and  cheer  the  night- 
long reel. 

Hark !  the  sweet  music's  coming  from  the  Main  !  the 
harmony  of  Ocean's  roundelay  !  How  soft  the  mingled 
note  !  and  heard  but  once  it  murmurs  ever  in  the  human 
soul :  now  tide-like  gliding  in  the  dreams  of  Infancy ; 
now  breathing  strains  o'er  harps  that  hopeful  youth 
keeps  ever  strung  up  in  the  passing  breeze  ;  and  away 
through  Manhood's  caverned  depths  it  goes,  weaving  of 
all  airs  a  melody ;  and  vague  immortal  longings  rise 


AND     TUE     FLOODS     CLAPPED     THEIR    HANDS.      337 

and  drift  to  sea,  and  'way  off  to  the  heavenly  shore. 
And  now,  from  pole  to  pole  the  Ocean  lies  heaving 
beneath  the  raptured  moonlight,  like  a  virgin's  bosom 
'neath  the  eye  of  Love.  Amid  the  embrace  of  Sea  and 
Sky,  Night  draws  her  starry  drapery  round  the  nuptial 
couch  and  with  a  wedding  song  the  tides  resound  from 
green  Antilles  to  the  "  far  Cathay." 

Anon  the  peaceful  treaty  breaks,  and  wars  rush 
howling  through  the  infinite  expanse !  Hoarse  Boreas 
sounds  his  tocsin  to  the  gale,  and  lightnings  and  the 
domineering  wind  combine ;  old  Ocean  smokes  with 
wrath,  and  holds  her  arms  aloft  in  stern  tumultuous 
defiance.  No  ally  knows  she,  Nature's  fierce  Ishmaelite ; 
her  hand  against  the  universe  up-raised  !  The  sea-gull 
screams  ;  the  osprey  shrieks  alarm  ;  in  widening  rings 
they  rise,  cleave  the  moist  air,  and  swoop  bewildered 
from  the  hostile  scene. 

Armies  of  waves,  with  loud  concussion  driven,  now 
strike  the  pine-tree  down  on  Baltic's  shore  ;  now  scatter 
spicy  breezes  from  Ceylon  ;  hurling  huge  icebergs  to 
the  sunny  Line  from  Greenland  fords,  like  Olympian 
rocks  ;  impelling  boulders  from  their  mountain  thrones 
o'er  higher  mountains  and  o'er  plains  beyond  ;  swallow- 
ing the  islands  and  upheaving  vales ;  annulling  coasts, 
and  continents  confounding. 

Then  turns  on  Man  — an  insect  in  her  path,  —  scoffs 
at  his  ;irts.  us  the  wild  Buffalo  raghig  spurns  the 


338  F  A  C  A  . 

mechanic  ant-hill  with  his  hoof.  No  Alaric  less  merci- 
ful consuming  Rome  ;  nor  Tamerlane  chastising  Asia's 
hordes :  now  tossing  him  pale,  naked,  on  some  rock  ;  and 
now  with  silent  cruelty,  her  teeth  tear  him  below  with 
his  vain  treasuries ;  invades  ancestral  halls,  and  biota 
away  forever,  hearthstone  —  history  —  and  grave !  licks 
up  proud  Tyre  and  surges  o'er  her  streets. 

But  there  is  One  thou  fearest !  who  said  "  Thus  far ;" 
yet  as  the  raging  lion  strikes  his  strong  bars,  thou 
lashest  the  heaven-sealed  rock  with  violence,  and  gnawest 
the  bases  of  eternal  hills,  till,  wasted,  shivered  by  the 
futile  strife,  brow-beaten  by  Omnipotence,  writhing, 
thou  crawlest  from  the  God-forbidden  plain,  to  sink 
rock-buried  'neath  sepulchral  caves,  like  Titans  driven 
from  fierce  strife  with  Jove ;  and  since  the  Flood  goest 
howling  round  the  world. 

HE  who  layeth  the  beams  of  his  chambers  on  the 
water,  whose  chariot's  the  cloud ;  who  walketh  upon  the 
wings  of  the  wind:  at  His  rebuke  they  flee  that  stood 
among  the  hills ;  at  the  voice  of  His  thunder  they  fly 
away ;  the  parting  clouds  their  rainbow  banners  raise, 
inviting  truce  and  heavenly  amity.  The  placid  sea 
renews  the  broken  league ;  the  earth  again  puts  on  her 
robes  of  peace ;  Man  goeth  forth  —  and  all  is  Inter- 


LIST  OF  BOOKS 

PUBLISHED   BY 

JAMES  FRENCH  &  CO., 

78  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


SCHOOL  BOOKS. 

FOSTER'S  BOOK-KEEPING,  BY  DOUBLE  AND  SINGLB 

ENTRY,  both  in  single  and  copartnership  business,  exemplified  in 
three  sets  of  books.  Twelfth  Edition.  8yp.  Cloth,  extra.  .  1  00 

FOSTER'S  BOOK-KEEPING,  BY  SINGLE  ENTRY,  ex- 
emplified in  two  sets  of  books.    Boards 38 

FRENCH'S  SYSTEM  OF  PRACTICAL  PENMAN- 

SHIP,  founded  on  scientific  movements  ;  combining  the  principles 
on  which  the  method  of  teaching  is  based.  —  Illustrated  by  en- 
graved copies,  for  the  use  of  Teachers  and  Learners.  Twenty- 
seventh  Edition 25 

This  little  treatise  seems  well  fitted  to  teach  everything  which 
can  be  taught  of  the  theory  of  Penmanship.  The  style  proposed 
is  very  simple.  The  copperplate  fac-similes  of  Mr.  French's 
writing  are  as  neat  as  anything  of  the  kind  we  ever  saw.  — 
Post. 

Mr.  French  has  illustrated  his  theory  with  some  of  the  most 
elegant  specimens  of  execution,  which  prove  him  master  of  hia 
science.  —  Coui.er. 

I 


JAMES  FRENCH  AND  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

This  work  is  of  a  useful  character,  evidently  illustrating  an  ex- 
cellent system.  We  have  already  spoken  of  it  in  terms  of  appro- 
bation. —  Journal. 

This  little  work  of  his  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  useful  publi 
cations  of  the  kind  that  we  have  seen.  —  Transcript. 

BEAUTIES  OF  WRITING,  containing  twenty  large 
specimens  of  Ornamental  Penmanship,  Pen  Drawing,  and  off-hand 
Flourishing ,.,".;.  » 75 

BOSTON  COPY-BOOK  :  comprising  nearly  two  hundred 
engraved  copies,  for  the  use  of  Schools  and  Academies.  .  .  42 

LADIES'  COPY-BOOK,  containing  many  beautiful  en- 
graved  copies,  which  are  a  perfect  imitation  of  the  natural  handr 
writing  ;  also  including  German  Text  and  Old  English .  .  .  17 

BOSTON  ELEMENTARY  COPY-BOOK,  comprising 
large  and  small  Text  Hand,  for  Schools 124. 

COOK'S  MERCANTILE  SYSTEM  OF  PENMAN- 
SHIP. Fourth  Revised  Edition 37<J 

THE  ART  of  PEN-DRAWING,  containing  examples 
of  the  usual  styles,  adorned  with  a  variety  of  Figures  and  Flour- 
ishes, executed  by  command  of  hand.  Also  a  variety  of  Orna- 
mental Penmanship .75 


MISCELLANEOUS  AND  JUVENILE, 

TURKEY  AND  THE  TURKS,  by  Dr.  J.  V.  C.  Smith, 

Mayor  of  Boston.     320  pages.     12mo.     Cloth 75 

It  is  a  most  excellent  work.  It  will  have  a  large  sale,  for  it 
embraces  more  real  information  about  real  Turks  and  their  strange 
peculiarities  than  anything  we  have  yet  read  — Post. 


JAMES   FRENCH    AND    CO.'S   PUBLICATIONS. 

MAJOR  MARCH'S  CLASSIC  MEMOIRS. 
WALTER    MARCH  ;    OR,    SHOEPAC    RECOLLECTIONS. 

Fourth  Edition.    By  Major  March.    12mo.    300pp.   Price,  $1.00 

Of  Major  March's  Writings,  the  Boston  Trardkr  says  :    They 

have  much  of  the  sweetness  and  charm  of  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 

FACA ;  AN  ARMY  MEMOIR.     By  Major  March.     Cloth, 
12mo.     Price, $1.00 

It  lights  up  Army  Life  as  with  a  torch,  both  by  land  and  sea. 
We  understand  that  Lieut.  0.  B.  Wilcox,  of  the  United  States 
army,  is  the  author  of  this  interesting  and  spirited  work.  It 
abounds  with  vivid  and  life-like  pictures  of  the  past  and  present, 
and  if  we  do  not  much  underrate  the  work,  it  will  be  a  great 
favorite  witli  the  reading  public.  Shoepac  Recollections  is  dedi- 
cated to  our  neighbor,  Charles  G.  Greene,  Esq.,  of  the  Boston 
Post. 

STAR  OF    THE   WEST;    OR,  AMERICAN   MEN    AND 

NATIONAL  MEASURES.     By  Anna  Ella  Carroll,  of  Maryland. 

This  great  national  work,  by  the  talented  authoress  of  the 
"  Great  American  Battle,"  is  one  of  her  happiest  efforts.  It  is  a 
comprehensive  view  of  the  nation  as  it  should  be,  embracing  topics 
of  the  most  vital  interest  to  the  people  of  the  whole  country. 
Miss  Carroll  treats  of  the  Necessity  of  Pn-s^rving  the  Union  —  of 
the  Pacific  Railroad  —  of  Central  America  —  of  the  Navy  and  the 
"Retiring  Board" — of  the  Necessity  of  a  Practical  Protestant 
Education  for  American  Citizens  —  of  the  Political  Character  of 
the  Romish  Church,  and  its  hostility  to  the  liberties  of  the  Amer- 
ican People  —  of  Convents  and  the  Confessional. 

This  elegant  volume  has  twelve  steel  plate  portraits  of  promi- 
nent Americans,  to  which  is  added  the  portrait  of  Miss  Carroll, 
all  executed  in  superb  style  by  the  celebrated  Buttre,  of  New 
York.  12mo.  Cloth,  price, $1.25 

ROZELLA    OF   LACONIA;    OR,   LEGENDS    OF    THE 

WHITE  MOUNTAINS.     12mo.    450  pages, $1.00 

3 


JAMES  FRENCH  AND  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

BOSTON   COMMON;  A  TALE  OF  OUR  OWN  TIMES. 

12mo.     556  pages.     Price, $1.25 

This  work  is  universally  regarded  as  combining  beauty  and 

strength  and  practical  value,  to  a  degree  rarely  if  ever  equalled  by 

an  American  author. 

It  promises  to  have  an  immense  sale. 

ALTHA ;  OR,  SHELLS  FROM  THE  STRAND.  By  Mrs.  Ada 
M.  Field.  12mo.  Cloth,  price $1 

"  There  is  a  spirit  in  man,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty 
giveth  understanding." 

This  new  work  is  written  in  a  style  different  from  most  of  the 
present  literature.  Happily  showing  the  spirit  of  the  times,  it 
abounds  in  religion  and  patriotism,  showing  in  its  sudden  out- 
bursts of  sentiment  and  affection  the  beauty  of  the  inner  life, 
the  wealth  of  happiness  wedded  to  duty. 

RAISING  THE  VEIL;   OR,  SCENES  IN  THE  COURTS. 

].2mo.     Cloth,  price, $1 

This  work  has  been  pronounced  one  of  the  most  unique  and 
curious  volumes  that  has  been  published  for  many  years.  Ita 
oddity  of  style,  the  peculiar  ideas  of  the  author,  the  singular 
anecdotes  which  he  introduces,  which  are  of  themselves  amusing, 
while  thoy  serve  to  instruct, —  all  combined,  are  sufficient  to  make 
it  one  of  the  most  readable  books  of  the  present  day.  In  it  will 
be  found  portraits  of  well-known  court  officers,  &c.,  together  with 
a  full  expose  of  the  Stool  Pigeon  Business  as  it  has  been  carried 
out  in  the  different  cities  of  the  Union. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  HEN  FEVER;  A  HUMOR- 

ous  RECORD.     By  Geo.  P.  Burnham.     With  twenty  Illustrations. 
12mo.     Cloth 1  25 

The  work  is  written  in  a  happy  but  ludicrous  style,  and  this 
reliable  history  of  the  fowl  mania  in  America,  will  create  an  im- 
mense sensation.  —  Courier. 

4 


JAMES   FRENCH   &   CO.'S   PUBLICATIONS. 

RAMBLES   IN   EASTERN  ASIA,   including   China 

and  Manilla,  during  several  years'  residence.  With  notes  of  the 
voyage  to  China,  excursions  in  Manilla,  Hong  Kong,  Shanghai, 
Ningpoo,  Aiiioy,  Fouchow  and  Macon,  by  Dr.  Ball.  One  hand- 
some  vol.,  12mo.,  cloth,  $1,25 

AMBITION:  by  Kate  Willis,  12mo  ,  cloth,     .     .    1,00 
CARRIE   EMERSON  :    on,  LIFE  AT   CLIFTON VILLE. 

By  C.  A.  Hay  den.     1  handsome  vol.,  12mo.,  cloth,    .     .   $1,00 

KATE  STANTON  :  a  Page  frpra  Real  Life.  12mo., 
cloth, $1.00 

DORA  GRAFTON:  on,  EVERY  CLOUJ>  HAS  A  SIL- 
VER LINING.  Embellished  with  a  handsome  engraving.  12mo., 
cloth,  pp.  400.  Price,  ..-..„ $ 

SURE  ANCHOR,  By  Rev.  II.  P.  Andrews.  12mo., 
cloth, ,  *  •  •  •  •  •  .,  i  »'.<*  •  6-i 

FOR  YOU   KNOW  WHOM:    OK,    OUR   SCHOOL   AT 

PINEVILLK.  Illustrated.  By  Caroline  Ellen  Hartshorn.  18mo., 
cloth,  ...  ...:.  ...'.  .  ,  ;,i:.  irVi-'V  '•••'*.:••  •  37$ 

EQUAL   RIGHTS    OF  THE    RICH  AND   POOR. 

By  A.  II.  Hall.     IHma.,  doth, ;)7i 

EXILE'S  LAY,  and  other  Poems.  By  ihe  Border 
Minstrel.  ISmo.,  cloth,  gilt, 38 

STORIES    FOR    LITTLE    FOLKS    AT    HOME. 

By  Aunt  Martha.    Beautifully  Illustrated.    Cloth,  gilt,     .       40 
5 


.JAMES  FRENCH   AND    CO/S   PUBLICATIONS. 

THE  MASSACHUSETTS  STATE  RECORD,  for  the 

years  1847,  1848,  1849,  1850  and  1851  ;  one  of  the  most  valuable 
American  Statistical  Works.     5  vols.     12ino.     Cloth.   .     .     5  00 

THE  NEW  HAMPSHIRE   FESTIVAL.      A  graphic 

account  of  the  Assemblage  of  the  "  Sons  of  New  Hampshire  "  at 

Boston,  Hon.  Daniel  Webster  presiding.   Illustrated  with  portraits 

of  Webster,  Woodbury  and  Wilder.     8vo.     Cloth,  gilt.      .     200 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 3  00 

SECOND  FESTIVAL  of  the  "Sons  of  New  Hampshire." 

Illustrated  with  portraits  of  Webster,  Wilder,  Appleton  and  Chick- 

ering.     8vo.     Cloth,  gilt 200 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 3  00 

FESTIVAL.     2  vols.  in  one.    8vo.    Cloth,  gilt.  .    .    2  50 
ELEANOR :  OR,  LIFE  WITHOUT  LOVE.  12mo.  Cloth.    75 

LIFE  IN  ENGLAND  AND  AMERICA.  Illustrated. 
12mo.  Cloth 75 

THE  VACATION  :  OR,  MRS.  STANLEY  AND  HER  CHIL- 
DREN. By  Mrs.  J.  Thayer.  Illustrated.  18mo.  Cloth.  Third 
Edition 50 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges 75 

SUNSHINE  AND  SHADE :  OR,  THE  DENHAM  FAM- 
ILY.   By  Sarah  Maria.     Fourth  Edition.     18mo.     Cloth.  .     37£ 
THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges 56 

THE   DREAM  FULFILLED:  OR,  THE   TRIALS  AND 

TRIUMPHS  OF  THE  MORELAND  FAMILY.     18ino.     Cloth.    .     .      42 
THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges.     Fifth  Edition G2.i 

THE   COOPER'S   SON :  OR,  THE  PRIZE  OF  VIRTUE. 

A  Tale  of  the  Revolution.    Written  for  the  Young.   18mo.   Cloth. 

Sixth  Edition.     (In  press.) 37£ 

THE -SAME,  Gilt  Edges 56 

6 


JAMES  FRENCH  AND   CO.'S   PUBLICATIONS. 

The  following  Writing  Books  are  offered  on  Liberal  Terms. 
FRENCH'S    NEW    WRITING    BOOK,   with   a  fine 

engraved  copy  on  each  page.     Just  published,  in  Four  Numbers, 

on  a  highly-improved  plan. 
No.  1  Contains  the  First  Principles,  &c.  ........     10 

No.  2  A  fine  Copy  Hand 10 

No.  3  A  bold  Business  Hand  Writing 10 

No.  4  Beautiful  Epistolary  Writing  for  the  Lady 10 

James  French  &  Co.,  No.  78  Washington  street,  have  just  pub- 
lished a  new  series  of  Writing  Books  for  the  use  of  Schools  and 
Academies.  They  are  arranged  upon  a  new  and  improved  plan, 
with  a  copy  on  each  page,  and  ample  instructions  for  learners. 
We  commend  them  to  the  attention  of  teachers  and  parents.  — 
Transcript. 

They  commence  with  those  simple  forms  which  the  learner  needs 
first  to  make,  and  they  conduct  him,  by  natural  and  appropriate 
steps,  to  those  styles  of  the  art  which  indicate  the  chirography 
not  only  of  the  finished  penman,  but  which  are  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  those  who  wish  to  become  accomplished  accountants.  — 
Courier. 

A  new  and  original  system  of  Writing  Books,  which  cannot  fail 
to  meet  with  favor.  They  consist  of  a  series,  and  at  the  top  of 
each  page  is  a  finely-executed  copy.  We  cordially  recommend  the 
work.  —  Bee. 

It  is  easily  acquired,  practical  and  beautiful.— Fitchburg  Sentinel. 

We  have  no  hesitation  in  pronouncing  them  superior  to  anything 
of  the  kind  ever  issued.  —  Star  Spanyled  Banner. 

FRENCH'S    PRACTICAL    WRITING    BOOK,    for 

the  use  of  Schools  and  Academies ;  in  Three  Numbers,  with  a 
copy  for  each  page. 
No.  1,  Commencing  with  the  First  Principles.   ...          .     .     10 

No.  2,  Running-hand  copies  for  Business  Purposes 10 

Vo.  3.  Very  fine  copiss.  together  with  German  Text  and  Old  Eng- 
lish   ...    10 

7 


P1ENCH  AND   CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


NEW  MINIATURE  VOLUMES. 

THE  ART  OF  CONVERSING.  Written  for  the  in- 
struction of  Youth  in  the  polite  manners  and  language  of  the 
drawing-room,  by  a  Society  of  Gentlemen  ;  with  an  illustrative 
title.  Fourteenth  Edition.  Gilt  Edges.  .......  374 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 50 

FLORAL  GEMS  :  OR,  THE  SONGS  OF  THE  FLOWERS. 

By  Mrs.  J.  Thayer.     Thirteenth  Edition,  with  a  beautiful  frontis- 
piece.    Gilt  Edges 374 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 50 

THE  AMETHYST  :  OR,  POETICAL  GEMS.     A  Gift  Book 

for  all  seasons.     Illustrated.     Gilt  Edges 374 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 40 

ZION.     With  Illustrative  Title.    By  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor.    42 
THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 5G 

THE  TRIUNE.  With  Illustrative  Title.  By  Rev.  Mr. 
Taylor 374 

TRIAD.  With  Illustrative  Title.  By  Rev.  Timothy  A. 
Taylor 374 

TWO  MOTTOES.     By  Rev.  T.  A.  Taylor.      ...    374 

SOLACE.     By  Rev.  T.  A.  Taylor 374 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 50 

SONNETS.     By  Edward  Moxon 314 

THE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Sides 50 

GRAY'S  ELEGY,  AND  OTHER  POEMS.     The  Poetical 

Works  of  Thomas  Gray.     "  Poetry  —  Poetry ;  —  Gray —  Gray  !  " 

[Daniel  Webster,  the  night  before  his  death,  Oct.  24,  1852. 1  .     31 

AHE  SAME,  Gilt  Edges  and  Side* 50 

8 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last 
date  stamped  below. 


J"-  MAR    9197S. 


10m-7,'71  (P6348s8)— Z-53 


A    000029422     3 


